Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe has blamed the Black Stars’ disappointing campaign at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup on what he describes as the persistent problem of age cheating in Ghanaian football.
The former GFA chief made the remarks after Ghana’s World Cup journey came to an end following a 1-0 defeat to Colombia in the Round of 32, with Jhon Arias scoring the decisive goal to eliminate the Black Stars.
In an interview with Graphic Sports, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe argued that several members of the squad were no longer physically capable of meeting the demands of elite international football, insisting that inaccurate age declarations had become a major setback for the national team.
“Age has affected most of our players. We must stop the football age thing and be sincere with ourselves because it is affecting us,” the Hearts of Oak board member said.
He urged Ghana’s football authorities to prioritise honesty regarding players’ ages, stressing that ageing footballers should step aside to allow younger talents the opportunity to develop and represent the country.
“Age must be taken seriously in our football. When a player has reached the appropriate age, he must make way for younger ones to take over,” he stated.
Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe also expressed concern about the overall direction of Ghanaian football, saying the country’s player development system has failed to keep pace with the standards required to compete consistently at the highest level.
The Black Stars reached the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 2010 but were unable to progress beyond the Round of 32.
Attention will now turn to preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification as Ghana looks to rebuild following its World Cup exit.
