Shilla Illiasu criticizes excessive support for Black Stars amid poor AFCON qualifiers performance
17th October 2024
Former Ghana international Shilla Illiasu has expressed frustration over the disproportionate support given to the Black Stars by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the government, suggesting that it has not been yielding the desired results.
As a member of Ghana’s 2006 World Cup squad, Illiasu finds it "unbelievable" how much attention and resources are focused on the senior men's national team, despite their continued struggles on the field.
His comments come in the wake of Ghana’s disappointing 2-0 loss to Sudan in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, played in Libya.
“If you look at the support the GFA and government give to the Black Stars, not the other national teams, it’s unbelievable… and still, we find it very difficult [to win games],” Illiasu shared in an interview with Citi Sports.
He expressed further disappointment with the team's inability to capitalize on their chances in previous matches, particularly the goalless draw against Sudan in Accra.
With Ghana sitting third in Group F with only two points from four games, the Black Stars face the possibility of missing out on AFCON for the first time in two decades.
They must secure wins in their final two matches in November against Niger and Angola to keep their qualification hopes alive.