'Nobody gave us a chance' – Kofi Adams hails Black Stars

Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has praised the Black Stars for exceeding expectations at the FIFA World Cup, saying the team's qualification for the knockout stage is proof of the remarkable progress made under the current administration.

According to the minister, the Black Stars were at a low point when the government assumed office after Ghana failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations, making the task of rebuilding confidence in the national team extremely difficult.

"We took over affairs at the time the national team was so down. We had just failed to qualify for the AFCON, and so we needed to put a lot of things together," Adams said.

He explained that despite widespread pessimism before the tournament, the government, together with the Ghana Football Association, remained committed to restoring belief in the team.

"Nobody gave us any chance. Some said we're just coming to play the three matches and pack back home," he noted.

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Adams highlighted Ghana's early qualification for the Round of 32 as a major milestone, describing it as the country's best-ever start to a World Cup campaign.

"This is the first World Cup that we had a match to spare because we had already secured our qualification to the next round before we played our last game," he said.

The Sports Minister also credited the late changes made to the technical team, insisting they have already had a visible impact on the Black Stars' performances.

"You cannot rule out the impact of the changes that we made to the technical team. The head coach and his supporting staff have brought something to bear in the team," Adams added.

He further acknowledged the renewed support from Ghanaians, saying the growing belief among fans has played an important role in the team's impressive World Cup journey.

PAH/EB

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