An Ode to The Black Stars | The Beauty & Joy of Football

I have never considered myself a football fan. Heck I can’t even remember the last time I sat down to watch a game of football. And no, I am not a bimbo…I just don’t like sports.

The only time you would catch me watching a football game is when Ghana is playing, and it has to be an international match. I do enjoy such games because I know the players. I know their stories. I know how they started and how far they’ve come. For most of them, it is a story of grass to grace. It resonates with me as well as a whole lot of Ghanaians.

In 2006, Ghana qualified to play in the world cup for the very first time. As a non-football fan, all I could process from that piece of information was that Ghana was going to share the stage along with other big name countries. It was a chance to for the whole world to know about this awesome tiny West African country.

We were put in a group along with Czech Republic, Germany and the USA. These countries were giants in the football world (well apart from the USA). I can never forget how Ghana’s performance at the 2006 world cup made me feel. In particular I remember the match between Ghana and the USA. That match was a make or break match for us. It was either we won, or our team would be sent back home. You see, nobody even thought Ghana would leave any mark in the games. After all, that was our very first world cup. But the Black Stars surprised everyone, including Ghanaians watching at home.

We needed to score and we needed to score fast. A loss or a draw was not an option. Some Ghanaians had given up, others were sceptical, but most of us had hope in the boys. The boys played, and they played hard. And they won the game!

At that moment, I ran out into the streets. I didn’t care who or what I was hugging, I just jumped into the arms of anyone I saw out of pure joy. I was happy and I didn’t care if the person I was hugging was a Muslim or Christian. Ewe or Ashanti. Rich or Poor. NPP or NDC. At that moment, we were all Ghanaians. And that was the only thing that mattered. #

I ran along the streets of my neighbourhood along with other ecstatic neighbours, shouting ‘Gooaaalllll’. I was proud to be a Ghanaian. . After that moment, anytime I heard anyone talking about how football could unite a nation, my mind would drift back to that moment, knowing that statement is damn true.

As we meet USA tonight, I long to feel what I felt on the streets that day of my neighbourhood. Even if I do not experience the same sense of joy, pride and excitement, I would forever be grateful to the black stars for giving me a reason to believe in Ghana.

Long Live Ghana, Long Live the Black Stars….Osseeeyyyy Black Stars!!!!