GFA boss Kurt Okraku says hidden issues lie behind the Black Stars' 44-year wait for continental glory, but some truths won't be aired in public.
Ghana's 44-year hunt for a fifth Africa Cup of Nations crown is about more than missed chances, according to GFA president Kurt Okraku, who says some of the real reasons simply cannot be discussed in public.
The four-time African champions last lifted the trophy in 1982. Since then they have come agonizingly close, reaching the final in 1992, 2010 and 2015 without finishing the job. Generation after generation of gifted players has pulled on the shirt, yet the continental title has stayed out of reach.
Things have only got tougher recently. The Black Stars went out in the group stage at both the 2021 and 2023 tournaments, then failed to qualify for the 2025 edition in Morocco after finishing bottom of their qualifying group, a result that stunned supporters across the continent.
Okraku addressed the topic while appearing before Parliament's Select Committee on Sports on Wednesday. He called the drought "a statement of fact" and pointed to the parade of superstar talents Ghana has produced and the three finals reached in that time. His message was that the story runs deeper than results on the pitch, even if he stopped short of spelling out the details.
For a football-mad nation that expects to be among Africa's elite, that hint of unspoken problems will fuel plenty of debate. Fans have waited more than four decades for answers, and for now they are being told the full picture isn't one that can be shared openly.
