L-R: Patrick Boamah, Abena Osei-Asare and Edem Agbana
The Black Stars‘ impressive performances against Chad and Madagascar in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers became a major topic of debate during a parliamentary sitting on March 25, 2025.
The Black Stars secured a dominant 5-0 victory over Chad on March 21, 2025, followed by a comfortable 3-0 win against Madagascar on March 25, 2025.
After six matches, Ghana leads Group I with 15 points, followed by Comoros with 12 points.
During parliamentary discussions, the Member of Parliament for Ketu North, Edem Agbana, attributed the team’s success to President Mahama’s visit to the squad.
“Prior to our game against Chad, the president personally met the players and attended their training sessions. The minister was also present with them throughout. We can all conclude that, due to the encouragement and unwavering support from the government, the team secured a 5-0 win against Chad and a 3-0 victory away against Madagascar. Indeed, we can all agree that the real Black Stars are back,” he stated.
The MP for the Bodi Constituency, Sampson Ahi, supported his colleague’s assertion and commended the president.
“I was particularly pleased to see President Mahama visit the team before the match against Chad. If you listened to the fatherly advice he gave the players, you would understand how it helped them. We must express our gratitude to the President for that inspirational message, which contributed to the team scoring eight goals in two matches,” Ahi said.
However, Minority MPs in Parliament strongly rejected these claims, insisting that President Mahama’s visit had no direct impact on the team’s performance.
“Mr. Speaker, it is not just about what we see; there are many things that happen behind the scenes. So, I expect that we don’t simply attribute the team’s success to the president’s visit. They all have fathers, and I believe that before they left home, their fathers also gave them advice. It was not the president’s words alone that led to their victories,” argued Abena Osei-Asare, the MP for Atiwa East.
The MP for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah, also noted that the team was already performing well in the qualifiers before President Mahama took office.
“I want to put on record that the current minister inherited a Black Stars team that was already leading the World Cup qualifying group. We asked them to at least win the next two matches, which they did, securing the six points we needed,” he stated.
Meanwhile, watch as Ghanaians applaud Black Stars for excellent performances against Chad, Madagascar
SB/MA
