It hurts we did not win a trophy, says Ghana legend Michael Essien

Former Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien believes the Black Stars were unfortunate not to win the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.

Essien, regarded as one of Ghana’s greatest footballers, represented the national team from 2002 to 2012 before retiring from international duty. He played a key role in Ghana’s run to the semifinals of the 2008 AFCON, which was hosted on home soil, as well as their appearance in the 2010 final, where they were narrowly defeated by Egypt.

Speaking to Sporty FM, Essien admitted it still pains him that the team never secured a major trophy during his time.

"Yes, [it hurts that we didn't win a trophy] because we were so unlucky with the AFCON 2008. We got so close, but it didn't happen," the former Chelsea midfielder said.

"We would have loved to win something for the nation, but it didn't happen, and we had to move on," he added.

Since Essien’s retirement, Ghana’s closest attempt at AFCON glory came in 2015 when the Black Stars reached the final but lost to Côte d'Ivoire in a dramatic penalty shootout.