Ghana prepares for match against Panama amid ongoing football challenges
The Guardian Sport • 2 min read • Latest: Jun 17, 2026, 4:00 AM
Last updated Jun 17, 2026
The Black Stars of Ghana are set to face Panama as they seek to overcome a history of underachievement in international soccer. Despite being a dominant force in African football during the 1960s to early 1980s, Ghana's history has been marked by disappointment, with no recent trophies since their 2008 Africa Cup of Nations victory. The team's journey has seen them reach multiple semi-finals but fall short of championship wins, raising questions about their future. As the match approaches, coach Carlos Queiroz aims to lift the team's spirits and break the cycle of past failures.
- •Ghana looks to shift focus after years of mixed success in competition.
- •Carlos Queiroz leads the team facing potential challenges in their upcoming match.
- •The national team has not secured new trophies since 2008 despite past successes.
- 4:00 AMThe Guardian Sport — Ghana look to diaspora for backing as Partey case and years of flux cloud planning
"Carlos Queiroz has plenty to deal with as the Black Stars enter the fray against Panama looking to banish a long record of underachievement That it took Ghana until 2006 to qualify for the World Cup, despite being African football’s dominant team of the 1960s, 70s and the early 80s, winning the Africa Cup of Nations four times during this period, reflects the topsy-turvy nature of their football odyssey. “The journey of the Black Stars over the last four decades has been marked by long periods of disappointment,” says Gary Al-Smith, one of the country’s most respected football journalists. “We had a surge between 2006 and 2017, when we qualified for eight straight semi-finals at Afcon but never won anything. Yes, we had a quarter-final appearance at the 2010 World Cup, but our record overall has been pockmarked with great highlights but never a trophy. There has been nothing to celebrate.” Continue reading...
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