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Back in July 2019, FIFA World Rankings listed Ghana in the 50th position of all 210 participating countries. For Ghana’s Black Stars national team, this not only secured them a bye in qualifiers for the upcoming Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup but left them seventh in the rankings of all African nations.
For the Black Stars, this bye helped save the national team extra confusion as major rescheduling drastically altered international competitions in association football throughout 2020. However, it also means that Ghana’s original second-round schedule, set for late 2020 and early 2021, has been pushed back.
Will the added time give head coach Charles Akonnor the hours he needs to build a lethal team? The former player has months to find out before the Black Stars enter the second round of qualifiers in summer and early fall. Luckily for Akonnor, Ghana receives an automatic advance to the third round.
Now, football pundits covering CAF qualifiers will dive deep into the Black Stars’ top players, including André and Jordan Ayew, and Thomas Partey. As formidable assets to English clubs Swansea City, Crystal Palace, and Arsenal, respectively, leading pundits are already familiar with the Ghanaian athletes.
As qualifying matches approach, analysts who cover major league sports wagers worldwide will pivot to focus on how top-performing athletes may translate their skills to a national team. Historically, just because an athlete excels in club sport, that doesn’t mean they can single-handedly turn a team into a champion squad (take Messi as an example of this).
Now that the Black Stars are prepping for their June qualifiers against South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Ethiopia, experts will pay close attention to the Ayew brothers and Partey and the reports that Arsenal may not be pleased that Partey will be taking time off to rejoin his national team.
The Black Stars in CAF & World Cup
Historically, Ghana has been one of the most active and successful African countries to participate in association football. CAF (Confederation of African Football) has hosted an array of international competitions, including the current Africa Cup of Nations, the AFCON Championships, and as a sport in the African Games.
Ghana ranks fourth overall in terms of performance, behind Nigeria, Egypt, and Cameroon, respectively. A closer look at Ghana’s rankings in the FIFA worldwide system shows that the Black Stars have an edge.
In FIFA’s all-time World Cup rankings, Ghana places 37th, behind Cameroon (33rd) and Nigeria (29th). To date, the Black Star's best performance comes from the South Africa 2010 World Cup where they reached the quarterfinals watched by over 84,000 fans. For this performance, as well as their 2006 performance, which saw Ghana defeat the Czech Republic and the USA to advance with Italy, the Black Stars have been given legendary status by thousands of fans upon returning to Accra.
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A Winning Roster
Since 2000, the Black Star's momentum as one of Africa’s premier football talents has only increased. Players like Abedi Pele and Anthony Yeboah in the 1990s helped spark interest in the sport and highlight the country’s natural talent in football. Today, the Ayew brothers and Thomas Partey are continuing that legacy.
Though Partey, named the Ghana Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019, may be upsetting the balance at Arsenal by representing the Black Stars, he’s not afraid of criticism from fans and pundits. To date, he’s one of the club’s most formidable and reliable midfielders. His time with the club has prepared him to take on the responsibility of vice-captain of the Black Stars.
For Jordan and André Ayew, sons of Abedi Pele, the mission comes naturally. Right now, Jordan Ayew is trying to become Crystal Palace’s leading goal scorer for another year in a row. With striking power that mostly comes in the second half of a game, he’ll be a crucial addition to Akonnor’s national team.
André Ayew, currently on loan to Turkish club Fenerbahçe, limped off the field in the recent victory of São Tomé & PrÃncipe. However, the winger has reported that he’ll make a quick recovery. Much like Partey and his younger brother, Ayew is a vital goal scorer for his national and club teams.
source https://footballghana.com/the-black-stars-assemble-ghana-gears-up-for-qatar-2022
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