We were unlucky not to win 2008 AFCON - Former Ghana midfielder Michael Essien

[caption id=attachment_1229939 align=alignnone width=612] Michael Essien of Ghana celebrates his goal with John Pantstil, Hans Adu Sarpei, and Manuel Junor Agogo during the Group A, 2008 CAF African Cup of Nations match between Ghana and Morocco at the Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra, Ghana, West Africa. (Photo by ben radford/Corbis via Getty Images)[/caption]Former Ghana midfielder,Michael Essien says theBlack Stars were unlucky not to win the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.Essien remains one of the best players to have ever played for the senior national team. He played from 2002 and 2012 before hanging up his boots as far as international football was concerned.The former midfielder is famously remembered playing helping the team to reach the semifinals of the AFCON hosted in Ghana as well as the final of the 2010 edition, which they eventually lost to Egypt.Speaking in an interview with Sporty FM, Essien says it still 'hurts' to know they were unable to win any silverware for the national team.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 his retirement from the national team, the Black Stars have reached the final of the AFCON once (2015), where they lost to Cte d'Ivoire on penalties. Read Full Story