Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Vice President, George Afriyie, has urged Ghanaians to remain supportive of the national team following Ghana’s victory over Panama in their Group L match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem, he said patriotic citizens should continue to support the team and pray for injury-free football as the tournament progresses.
“If you are a patriotic citizen, you should watch the match and pray for injury-free football,” he stated.
Afriyie noted that Ghana is currently building a young squad with several new players, adding that multiple challenges have affected the team’s preparation and performance.
“We need to accept that we have a very young team and almost an entirely new set of players. So many factors are going against us,” he said.
He explained that injuries to key players have also weakened the squad, affecting stability in crucial positions.
“In a World Cup team, you don’t miss six to eight key players like we are experiencing. Players like Salisu and Agyekum would have formed a strong centre-back partnership, just like they did in Qatar,” he noted.
He added that availability of players such as Gideon Mensah or Baba Rahman would have strengthened the defence, while Thomas Partey’s absence has also affected the midfield.
“If Partey was available, we would have stability in the middle of the park. Unfortunately, he is not part of the tournament,” he said.
Mr. Afriyie further argued that Ghana’s lack of adequate preparation and friendly matches also contributed to the team’s struggles compared to other nations.
“Some of our opponents played several preparatory matches before the World Cup, but the same cannot be said of Ghana,” he said.
Despite the challenges, he urged the players to remain motivated after their victory.
“The boys should take inspiration from this win. They should watch videos of the celebrations and understand that the whole country expects more from them,” he added.
Ghana secured a 1-0 win over Panama at Toronto Stadium, with a stoppage-time goal from Caleb Yirenkyi sealing all three points in Group L. The result marked a strong start for coach Carlos Queiroz, although he admitted his team endured long spells without possession before executing their game plan.
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