Ex Ghana star player Mohammed Polo, affectionately described as “The Dribbling Magician” has emphasized the increased opportunities for African teams to qualify for major tournaments, particularly with the expansion of slots for the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and Ghana cannot let it slip.
He believes that with more teams from the continent now eligible to participate, Ghana has a golden chance to secure their place on the global stage—provided they learn from past mistakes.
Reflecting on the team’s recent history, Polo expressed disappointment over their failure to qualify for the 2025 AFCON, a setback that marked the first time in two decades Ghana missed out on the prestigious tournament.
“We can’t let that happen again,” he insisted, urging the current squad to unite and avoid repeating the errors that cost them dearly.
The former Hearts of Oak’s “Maradona”pointed to Ghana’s past World Cup performances as a mixed bag of potential and missed opportunities.
“They qualified for the World Cup when the slots increased to five, and we saw what they were capable of in 2010,” he noted. “They came so close to making history by reaching the semifinals—a feat no African team had achieved at the time—but fell short. Morocco has since raised the bar, showing what’s possible. Our boys still have a lot to prove.”
With the number of AFCON qualification slots now expanded to nine, Polo sees no excuse for Ghana to miss out again. “This time, the door is wide open.
The Black Stars have shown promising form recently, taking a commanding three-point lead in their qualification group during the last international break with victories over Chad and Madagascar.
Polo, calling for consistency, believes this momentum must be seized by the younger generation of players, who now bear the weight of a storied footballing heritage.
“The predecessors left behind something special—a legacy that’s too important to let slip,” he said. “The young ones need to step up, break new ground, and make sure what we’ve built isn’t forgotten. They’ve got to give it everything.”
