World Cup 2026: Michael Essien urges Black Stars to bounce back from AFCON setback 

Former Ghana midfielder Michael Essien has urged the Black Stars to use the pain of missing out on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations as fuel for a strong performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Reflecting on Ghana's disastrous qualifying campaign—which saw the team finish bottom of their group without a single win—Essien acknowledged the disappointment but stressed the importance of looking forward.

"The good thing in football is you always have the next game to make things right," he told FIFA.com.

Ghana have since bounced back by securing qualification for the World Cup in North America.

The Black Stars have been drawn in Group L alongside England, Croatia, and Panama and will open their campaign on June 17 in Toronto.

For Essien, the past cannot be changed, but the future remains unwritten. The next game—and the chance to make things right—is already on the horizon.