Burkina Faso forward Ousseni Bouda expresses disappointment over Ghana’s AFCON miss

Burkina Faso striker Ousseni Bouda has expressed sadness over Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

The Black Stars endured a historic low, finishing at the bottom of Group F and failing to secure a single win during the qualifiers—a first in the team’s storied history.

Bouda, who spent four years in Ghana training with the Right to Dream Academy, voiced his disappointment, emphasizing Ghana’s prominent role in African football.

“I was following every game and I watched it closely as well. I'm really sad that Ghana is not going to be able to participate. Especially when you think of the history of African football, Ghana has always been a giant, and you sort of expect to see Ghana at every AFCON,” he said in an interview with Flashscore.

During his time at the academy, Bouda honed his skills alongside future stars such as Mohammed Kudus, Abu Francis, Mohamed Diomande, and Ibrahim Sadiq. These shared experiences fostered deep connections and collective dreams of professional success.

The 24-year-old forward admitted it would have been a special moment to face some of his former academy teammates at Africa’s premier football tournament.

“I was really hoping to see Ghana then maybe hopefully play against some of these guys that I grew up with at Right to Dream. But I know that Ghana would bounce back because there's a lot of potential and I hope they can figure things out.”

Now a key player for San Jose Earthquakes, Bouda scored one goal during Burkina Faso’s 2025 AFCON qualifying campaign.

He hopes to make his mark on the continental stage when the Stallions compete in Morocco next December.