Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams believes the Black Stars possess the determination, support, and momentum needed to make a strong impact at the FIFA World Cup, despite not being regarded as one of the tournament’s star-studded teams.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, the minister expressed confidence in Ghana’s chances, citing the growing enthusiasm among Ghanaians both at home and across the diaspora as a major source of motivation for the national team.
According to him, the level of support already being demonstrated by Ghanaians abroad points to a team that will not be short of encouragement throughout the competition.
“I think the energy level is quite high,” Mr Adams said.
He noted that the excitement was evident from the reception the Black Stars received upon arriving in North America, where large numbers of Ghanaians gathered to welcome the team despite the late hour.
“If you observe, even when the team arrived in the United States at that late point, the number of Ghanaians who were at the airport and at the hotel to welcome them should tell you one thing that Ghanaians in America are ready for the team,” he stated.
The minister added that the support extends well beyond the United States, with Ghanaians in Canada and Europe also making plans to follow the team during the tournament.
“Ghanaians in Canada are ready, and Ghanaians even in Europe are planning to travel that far to also go and watch on their own. The energy is building up in Accra and beyond,” he said.
Mr Adams argued that the commitment being shown by supporters provides Ghana with an important advantage as the team prepares for the global competition.
“In terms of preparation and support, whether you are talking about Ghanaians in the diaspora or Africans in the diaspora generally, they are yearning to be behind Ghana. Many things are falling in place for us,” he noted.
While acknowledging that the current squad may not have the global star power of some previous generations, the minister believes the team’s unity and fighting spirit could prove decisive.
“That is why I say that this World Cup, you may think that we don’t have the stars, but let me tell you that we have a team that has a certain spirit behind them that will take us very far,” he said.
Mr Adams also suggested that Ghana could benefit from aspects of the tournament schedule, including the cities assigned for the team’s matches.
He pointed out that several of the host cities have significant Ghanaian populations, which could help create a home-away-from-home atmosphere for the Black Stars.
“Look at the draw and the cities we got. These are cities that are heavily populated with Ghanaians,” he said, citing Toronto as one example.
“If you go to Canada, you will know that Toronto has a huge Black population, and many Ghanaians live there. We didn’t choose it, but it could work in our favour.”
With anticipation building ahead of the tournament, the minister remains optimistic that the combination of passionate support and team spirit can help Ghana exceed expectations on football’s biggest stage.
