Kwesi Nyantakyi criticizes Kurt Okraku's led GFA for Black Stars' decline

Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kwesi Nyantakyi has expressed disappointment with the current state of Ghanaian football under the leadership of Kurt Okraku, particularly highlighting the struggles of the Black Stars on the international stage.

Nyantakyi, who also served as CAF 1st Vice President and a FIFA Executive Council member, criticized the current administration for failing to elevate the standards of football in Ghana.

Under Okraku’s tenure, Ghana’s football performance has faltered significantly. The Black Stars endured consecutive group-stage eliminations in the 2021 and 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments without securing a single win.

At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Ghana managed a solitary victory but suffered two defeats, leading to another group-stage exit. The team’s struggles worsened with their failure to qualify for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, marking the first time in 20 years that Ghana will miss the tournament. The Black Stars ended their qualifying campaign at the bottom of Group F, finishing with just three points and no wins.

Reflecting on these setbacks, Nyantakyi criticized Okraku's administration for a lack of progress.

"Football is like pregnancy and we can all see that all is not well with our game," he said.

"Kurt Okraku's administration is not doing well and that is the truth. I don't know what is wrong but we can all see that all is not well.

"I don't have much information about what is happening but In five years, the current GFA has appointed five coaches which is not a good sign of a performing administration and that is not good enough and all these changes have not helped," he added.

Despite their recent challenges, the Black Stars will aim to bounce back when they face Chad and Madagascar in March 2025 as part of their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.