Previous World Cup looks: 2006, 2010, 2014
Titles: 0
Best surface: Quarter-finals (2010)
World Cup record: W4 D2 L6
Goals: 13
Biggest win: 2-0 vs Czech Republic (2006)
Player to see: Thomas Partey
Ranking: 61
Fixtures: Portugal (November 24), South Korea (November 28), Uruguay (December 2)
At the start of 2022, Ghana’s nationwide football group was at its most affordable ebb.
Eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) at the group phase and dealing with the possibility of a World Cup certifying playoff versus Nigeria, the diagnosis was bleak and a location in Qatar World Cup was far from likely.
Ghana FA’s choice to sack Milovan Rajevac and hand the reins to previous worldwide Otto Addo at brief notification was the supreme gamble. Used within the Borussia Dortmund youth setup in Germany, Addo had no experience of training at senior level and included no assurances.
It showed a masterstroke as the Black Stars edged the two-legged playoff versus Nigeria on away objectives and protected a location at the World Cup, having actually lost out in 2018.
It was just 12 years ago that, in ending up being the 3rd African side to reach the last-eight and just the 2nd to advance to the knockout stages in back-to-back World Cups, things were searching for Ghana.
But that momentum was stopped when the Black Stars crashed out in the group phase in 2014, making headings after flying $3m in squander to Brazil to relieve team discontent over overdue benefits.
Since reaching the 2015 AFCON last, there has actually been an apparent slide. Making it to the World Cup apprehended that, however 6 months later on a few of the shine has actually gone off the rose.
A variety of aspects have actually now cast doubt over the Black Stars potential customers in Qatar, and entering into the World Cup, the state of mind in the streets of Accra and Kumasi is extremely unfavorable.
” People are not too thrilled about the reality that the Black Stars do not appear to have a group, even after many months and playing in qualifiers,” Ghanaian reporter Saddick Adams informed Al Jazeera. “Resentment has actually existed considering that the dreadful AFCON project in January.”
Since scraping previous Nigeria in March, Ghana have actually just won 2 of their subsequent 6 matches– versus Madagascar and Nicaragua. In in between, they have actually drawn with Central African Republic and Chile, and suffered heavy three-goal margin beats at the hands of Japan and Brazil.
Ghana’s World Cup develop must be on Netflix. Much drama
— Godfred Akoto Boafo (@eastsportsman) November 9, 2022
These depressing outcomes– as well as the sluggish, unimaginative efficiencies that accompanied them and some confusing workers options– have actually called into concern Addo’s capability to handle the Black Stars.
It has actually likewise led lots of to concern over his ongoing participation with Borussia Dortmund: the hesitation to dedicate to the nationwide group full-time has actually been considered an indicator of an absence of dedication and financial investment on his part.
This absence of clearness shows inadequately on the Ghana FA, according to African football specialist Mark Gleeson.
” The truth that they have a coach who has actually had no training experience at senior level, and appeared to have actually selected this male on a wing and a prayer actually, and after that kept him after surpassing Nigeria, which as you understand, was a totally fortuitous outcome. To my mind, that beggars belief,” Gleeson informed Al Jazeera.
” That’s simply reveals the FA’s decision-making is relatively unskilled and I believe they’re going to pay the cost for that, which is a genuine pity.”
With a lot background sound, there is a genuine opportunity Ghana might implode in Qatar.
Their potential customers are barely brilliant as is, offered their draw. In Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea, they will deal with the ghosts of World Cups past, along with a few of the premier assailants in world football: Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani and Son Heung-Min (injury allowing), among others.
” It’s in fact unfortunate. If Ghana had their act together, Group H is not as hard as it searches paper,” reporter Solace Chukwu informed AlJazeera.
” Uruguay remain in a transitional stage at the minute. Fernando Santos’ negativeness, in addition to an aging defence, is holding Portugal back; and Korea are constantly competitive. This is far from a helpless group. It’s simply a pity Ghana are so doing not have in organisation at the minute.”
The Ghana FA’s most current preparatory gambit, the statement of 2 days of prayer and fasting, has actually caused extensive derision.
Seventy-one percent of Ghana’s population is Christian, with 17 percent Muslim and a little sector sticking to conventional native faiths.
Those stats downplay the fervency of daily faith, however whether an interest the divine will be of any real advantage to the Black Stars’ possibilities in Qatar stays to be seen.