Otto Addo reflects on difference between AFCON disappointment and World Cup success

Ghana failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, finishing bottom of their group and missing the tournament for the first time in 20 years.

The poor run led to heavy criticism and calls for coach Otto Addo to be sacked.

However, the Ghana Football Association retained faith in him- a decision that has now been vindicated with World Cup qualification for 2026.

Speaking on the contrast between the two campaigns, Addo said:

“To be honest, very simple — we scored more goals. I don’t want to go through all the matches, but in most games, we were more mature, more clinical in our finishes. Even now, we could have scored more. It’s also about the players adapting over time. There were fewer distractions, fewer off-field discussions, and that helped.

“We now fight together as a unit. Unity in the team is very important; it helps structure and build the squad. If you have unity, everything else becomes easier. From our first game, the 5-0 win, it gave us confidence and belief. From there, we continued to win further.”