Former Ghana U-17 World Cup Winner Charles Allotey criticizes Black Satellites’ mentality after U20 AFCON exit

Former Ghana U-17 World Cup winner and Accra Hearts of Oak legend Charles Allotey has expressed strong disappointment in the Black Satellites, questioning the team’s mentality and desire following their failure to qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.

Ghana’s U-20 team was eliminated after a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout defeat to Egypt in the WAFU Zone B U-20 Championship semifinals, following a 2-2 draw in regulation time. The loss means Ghana will miss the U-20 World Cup for a third consecutive time, having last featured in the global tournament in 2015.

Speaking in the aftermath of the defeat, Allotey criticized the players for lacking the passion and urgency required to succeed at the international level.

“They were not angry enough for the cup, even though they were playing,” Allotey said. “When you looked at their faces, you could tell they weren’t fighting for it. The two goals Egypt scored came from our own mistakes.”

He also pointed to a lack of focus and overconfidence, suggesting the team underestimated Egypt based on their earlier performances in the tournament.

“After we equalized, why didn’t we push for a third goal to finish the game? Instead, they became complacent and assumed they would beat Egypt,” he added. “That’s not how competitions work. Every opponent must be treated as a serious threat. You must be ready to fight and beat whoever stands in your way.”

Allotey, who was part of Ghana’s historic 1995 U-17 World Cup-winning squad, urged future Black Satellites teams to adopt a stronger mentality and a more determined approach if they are to reclaim their place among the elite youth sides in world football.