Former Ghanaian midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has expressed concern over the Black Stars’ declining performance and warned that the team is gradually losing its global football identity.
His comments came in response to Ghana’s 1-1 draw against Niger in the second Group F match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers on Monday.
Ghana, chasing their fifth continental title, currently sits third in Group F with just one point after two games. Agyemang-Badu, who was part of the team that won the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, voiced his disappointment over the team’s recent struggles.
“I am sad. For those of us who still love the team and follow Ghana football, it is very sad,” he told Asempa FM. “The dangerous thing is that we are gradually losing our biggest identity in the world. Gradually we are losing it, and it is very troublesome for us.”
Agyemang-Badu pointed out that the Black Stars’ once-distinctive style of play seems to be fading. He called on the team’s management to hold discussions with senior players to address the issue.
“Looking at the matches we have played, it looks like the pattern of play for the national team is leaving, or it is not there. We need to have a meeting with the senior players because where this is heading is not good,” he added.
The former midfielder also lamented how Ghanaians used to confidently expect the Black Stars to reach finals or win tournaments, but now qualification itself has become a challenge.
Ghana opened their 2025 AFCON qualifying campaign with a 1-0 defeat against Angola and will aim to secure their first win when they face Kwesi Appiah’s Sudan in a crucial doubleheader in October.
