Former Ghana player, Rahim Ayew has expressed support and optimism for the Black Satellites (Ghana U-20 team) despite their failure to qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.

Ghana exited the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations (AFCON) at the quarterfinal stage, suffering a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout defeat to Egypt after a 2-2 draw in regulation time. The loss ended their hopes of returning to the global tournament.

Speaking to Asempa FM, Ayew encouraged Ghanaians to take a long-term view of the team’s progress rather than dwell on the immediate setback.

“I’ll not say it’s a disappointment because it’s a process,” he said. “In some time past, the team was not able to qualify, but this time around, they played in the quarterfinals, so I see that they have been able to achieve something.”

The former Zamalek and FC Nania midfielder also urged fans to avoid comparing the current generation with past teams, particularly the 2009 World Cup-winning squad captained by his brother, André Ayew.
“Times have changed because you look at André Ayew’s era, they were playing at the top level, but it is not the same today. So I believe we should give this team sometime and see what happens,” he added.

Ayew believes that continuity, support, and proper development can help this current group achieve success in the near future.

Ghana’s U-20 team, despite falling short of World Cup qualification, showed signs of promise during the AFCON campaign, and the hope is that with the right structures, they can bounce back stronger.