Former Michael Essien has described the Ghana national football team’ failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations as a major setback, while urging the team to quickly move on and focus on the future.
Ghana endured a disappointing qualifying campaign, finishing bottom of their group after six matches without a win. The Black Stars recorded three draws and three defeats, resulting in a shock early exit from the tournament set to be hosted in Morocco.
Reflecting on the disappointment, Essien admitted the pain of the outcome but stressed the importance of resilience.
“Of course it was a big disappointment, but in football, you have to move on from that,” he told FIFA.com.
“The good thing in football is you always have the next game to make things right,” he added.
Despite that setback, the Black Stars have since bounced back by securing qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
Ghana will be making their fifth appearance at the global tournament and have been drawn in a tough Group L alongside England national football team, Croatia national football team, and Panama national football team.
The Black Stars will begin their World Cup campaign against Panama on June 17, before facing England on June 23, and concluding the group stage against Croatia on June 27.
