Former Black Stars midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang Badu has expressed his dismay over Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), marking the first time in 20 years that the team will miss the tournament.
Reacting to the team’s poor performance in Group F, where Ghana finished last with just three points, Agyemang Badu questioned how the team failed to secure a spot despite the expanded tournament format.
“AFCON slots have been increased from 16 to 24 teams, and the Black Stars can’t qualify? I can’t understand,” Badu said in an interview on Happy Sports.
The Black Stars’ campaign was plagued by underwhelming results. The team ended the qualifiers behind Angola, Sudan, and Niger, with no wins to their name.
Badu also lamented the disconnect between the team and its fans, referencing a moment during the qualifiers when Ghanaians celebrated an Angola equalizer against the Black Stars.
“I saw Ghanaians celebrate Angola’s equalizer against Ghana… How is this possible? The Black Stars have lost the love of the people,” he said.
Ghana’s inability to qualify for the expanded 24-team tournament has left fans and former players calling for urgent reforms to restore the team’s performance and reignite the passion of its supporters.
