Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) president Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe has blamed age cheating for the Black Stars’ disappointing campaign at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup, arguing that the practice has contributed to the team’s decline.
His comments come after Ghana’s World Cup journey ended with a 1-0 defeat to Colombia in the Round of 32, where Jhon Arias scored the decisive goal to eliminate the four-time African champions.
Speaking to Graphic Sports, the Hearts of Oak board member said several members of the current squad appeared to have lost the physical sharpness required to compete at the highest level of international football.
According to Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe, the continued reliance on what he described as “football age” has had a damaging effect on the national team.
“Age has affected most of our players. We must stop the football age thing and be sincere with ourselves because it is affecting us,” the Hearts of Oak board member said.
He called for greater honesty regarding players’ ages, insisting that ageing footballers should step aside to allow younger talents the opportunity to develop and represent the country.
“Age must be taken seriously in our football. When a player has reached the appropriate age, he must make way for younger ones to take over,” he stated.
Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe also expressed concern about the broader state of football development in Ghana, saying the country’s current system is not producing teams capable of competing consistently with the world’s best.
The Black Stars reached the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time since 2010, but their campaign ended in the Round of 32. The team will now shift its focus to the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Source: Ghana Soccer Net
