Akufo-Addo says Pele had Ghana in mind when he predicted African team to win World Cup

President Nana Akufo-Addo has urged the Black Stars to give a good account of themselves when they grace the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

According to him, Brazilian football icon Pele had Ghana in mind when he predicted that an African team will one day win the World Cup.

Over three decades ago, Pele famously declared that an African nation will win the World Cup before the year 2000.

No African nation has so far managed the feat, with Ghana, Cameroon and Senegal being the only teams from the continent to ever reach the quarterfinals.

“A long time ago, the greatest footballer that has ever lived, the Brazilian, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele, said that very soon an African country is going to win the World Cup and I know that, when he said that, he had in mind Ghana,” Akufo-Addo said when he signed the national flag to rally support for the Black Stars as they head to Qatar.

The Black Stars closed their preparations for the World Cup with a morale-boosting victory against Switzerland.

The Swiss were handed their first defeat in four games after losing 2-0 to the Black Stars in an international friendly on Thursday morning.

Ghana dominated the game for large spells, with second-half goals from Mohammed Salisu and Antoine Semenyo settling matters.

Akufo-Addo further expressed confidence in the Black Stars and their coaches to give a good account of themselves at the tournament.

“All of us know what football means to us in this country and what a very rich history we have in football.

“History that goes right back to the 50s, and 60s and 70s, 80s and 90s, right up till today; and I’m very confident that the players that have been selected, right up to the excellent technical team that we have under the leadership of Otto Addo, that we are going to give a very good account of ourselves,” he added.

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