Football legend Ibrahim Tanko (47) calls Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations a “big blow” and advises the Ghana Football As
Football legend Ibrahim Tanko (47) calls Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations a “big blow” and advises the Ghana Football Association to ignore calls for Otto Addo’s sacking.
The four-time African champions’ hopes of securing a 25th Africa Cup of Nations appearance vanished after failing to overcome Angola and Niger Republic in their final two qualifiers.
In Luanda, they managed a 1-1 draw against the Palancas Negras but suffered a 2-1 home defeat to the Mena, finishing at the bottom of Group F with just three points.
The last time Ghana missed out on AFCON was in Tunisia in 2004, and the former Ghana senior national team coach couldn’t hide his disappointment over the country’s failure to qualify for the tournament after two decades.
“It is very bitter for us and also a big blow for Ghana football because this is the first time in over 20 years that we are not qualifying for the competition,” Tanko
“It is not good for us the former players and the Ghana Football Association. We are going to feel it.
“In terms of players, we have them. For these games (vs. Angola & Niger), some players did not come yet we still had an excellent squad to compete with.
“Qualification for tournaments has always been easy for Ghana except for this one. The GFA needs to sit down and analyze what is happening, there is no tournament that we have not gone past the group stage, but in recent times, we have not come out from the group stage.”
Despite his disappointment, the former Borussia Dortmund star acknowledges that there are no longer any underdogs in football and emphasizes that the strength of a national team reflects the quality of its local league.
He continued: “Consider the teams we faced! In the past, everyone could predict the outcomes against Ghana, but football has completely evolved.
“Today, every country boasts talented players, both in their domestic leagues and abroad. Take Sudan, for example – their league may not be top-tier, but their national team is excelling, even leading their World Cup qualification group ahead of Senegal. This shows how competitive football has become across the board.
“This applies to other countries as well, not just Ghana. Everyone knows how to play football now, so you must prepare thoroughly, just as you would when facing any of the top teams.”