Otto Addo acknowledges Black Stars’ struggles, reflects on fortunate 2022 World Cup Qualification

Ghana head coach Otto Addo has admitted that the Black Stars are in a period of decline, acknowledging the team’s struggles in recent years and expressing that they were fortunate to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

Ghana narrowly secured their spot in Qatar after edging Nigeria on away goals in a tense playoff.

However, this came after a disappointing performance in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where the team was eliminated at the group stage.

The pattern repeated in the 2023 AFCON, where Ghana again failed to progress past the group stage, held in Ivory Coast.

Now, the team faces the possibility of missing out on the 2025 AFCON following a poor start to the qualifiers.

The Black Stars have yet to win a match after four rounds, sitting third in Group F with only two points. Their qualification chances are at serious risk.

Reflecting on the national team's challenges, Addo, currently in his second tenure as head coach, stated, "Since not qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, we’ve been struggling as a country for a long time; we were lucky to qualify for the 2022 Qatar World Cup."

Ghana’s chances of reaching the 2025 AFCON now rest on their upcoming matches in November, where they will face Angola and Niger.

Addo’s side will need to secure wins and hope that Sudan falters in their remaining fixtures. Ghana last missed out on AFCON qualification in 2004, and the pressure is on to avoid a repeat of that disappointment.