Late president Professor John Evans Atta Mills
Former Black Stars defender, Lee Addy, has shared his experiences from the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa
Lee Addy, who was playing for Ghana Premier League club Berekum Chelsea at the time, made his World Cup debut in this memorable competition.
In a detailed account on Ernest Brew Smith's YouTube channel, Addy singled out the match against the United States as his most challenging. He recalls being emotionally overwhelmed when he entered the game with the score tied at 1-1.
However, he drew inspiration from a pre-match encounter with Ghana's then-president, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, who visited the team's dressing room.
Professor Mills emphasized the historical and competitive significance of the match against the US and the importance of a victory.
"Professor Mills visited us in the dressing room to offer motivation. He encouraged us to seek victory, citing Ghana's historical edge over the US. He assured us that history was in our favor and that we should strive for a win. Professor Mills expressed his support for our pursuit of victory," Addy recounted.
Addy also disclosed a remarkable interaction with the iconic African statesman, Nelson Mandela, who made some prescient remarks about Ghana's upcoming quarter-final match against Uruguay.
"Nelson Mandela met with us before the Uruguay match and foretold the events of the game. He warned us that we would be wronged," Addy revealed.
In the round of 16, Ghana triumphed over the United States in extra time, becoming the third African nation to reach the quarter-finals of the world's premier football tournament.
The quarter-final match against Uruguay became etched in history for its dramatic conclusion. Asamoah Gyan missed a crucial penalty after Luis Suarez handled the ball on what would have been the final play, leading to a penalty shootout which Ghana lost 4-2.
EK
