Former FIFA Under-20 World Cup winner Emmanuel Agyeman-Badu believes that Ghana’s Black Stars can return to the heights of African and global football if the junior national teams and the Ghana Premier League receive proper development.
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This sentiment follows another lackluster performance in the 2025 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Thursday, October 10, where Ghana’s chances of qualifying for the continent’s biggest football event seem to be in jeopardy. Despite a spirited effort against Sudan, the Black Stars were unable to capitalize on several scoring opportunities, with notable misses from Mohammed Kudus and Issahaku Fatawu.
Agyeman-Badu, who himself rose through the ranks of the junior national teams before breaking into the senior team, emphasized the importance of a strong developmental system. Before making his move to Europe, he made a name for himself at Berekum Arsenal, which earned him a loan to Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko in 2008.
Speaking on Max FM’s Sports Pack show with Muatala Yakubu, Agyeman-Badu said, “This is football. It happened to Germany, Spain, England, and Italy. When you lose your glory, it’s gone. To regain it, you need to restrategize, and that takes time. People must understand this. The two key pillars are the junior national teams and the local league.”
He pointed to the era of legendary Ghanaian coach Emmanuel Afranie, where several players from the 2001 FIFA U-20 World Cup team transitioned to the senior national team. He also referenced the success of coach Sellas Tetteh, under whom Agyeman-Badu himself played, as further proof of the importance of nurturing young talent.
