Former Ghana defender Daniel Opare laments poor facilities 

Former Black Stars defender Daniel Opare has issued a brutal assessment of Ghana's sports infrastructure, warning that the country's subpar facilities are actively "killing" the development of the next generation of football talent.

Speaking on TV3's Mundial live, the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup winner voiced his deep frustration over the current state of youth football development and the nation's readiness to host major tournaments, such as the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.

"When it comes to these kinds of things [hosting of tournaments], we have to invest big to improve facilities. And truth to be spoken, our facilities are poor. I'm not going to sit here and pretend like, because I'm a Ghanaian, I wouldn't tell the truth. Our facilities are poor. The teams don't have good facilities. I think that we are not taking football seriously. And it's killing the younger generations because that is where we all developed from," Opare said.

Opare, who rose to prominence during Ghana's historic youth runs, emphasized that the grassroots level is being severely neglected. He argued that without high-quality pitches, modern training gear, and proper academy structures, young players are denied the foundation that once allowed stars of his generation to transition to the global stage.

For Opare, the dream of hosting continental showpieces must be backed by massive, tangible investments rather than empty ambitions. His blunt critique points to a broader systemic issue plaguing Ghanaian football, where passion alone cannot sustain the sport if the nation hopes to revive its youth football status and compete consistently on the international stage.

"We are not taking football seriously," he concluded.

Send your news stories to [email protected] and via WhatsApp on +233 546310076.

Read Full Story