Respected Ghanaian commentator, Joe Lartey, has provided insight into the motivations behind Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s decision to invite the renowned European football powerhouse, Real Madrid, to play against the Black Stars in 1962.
According to Lartey, Ghana was rapidly establishing itself as a football force in Africa during the 1960s, and Dr. Nkrumah, the country’s first president, sought to showcase the immense talent and potential of the Black Stars to the global stage.
Lartey further disclosed that while working closely with Ohene Gyan, the Sports Director at the time, it was Dr. Nkrumah himself who personally extended the invitation to Real Madrid, surprising many with his direct involvement in the matter.
This decision sparked a passionate debate regarding the significance of Ghana facing such a formidable opponent, considering the growing strength of the Black Stars at the time.
In an interview with Kafui Dey, Lartey explained Nkrumah’s perspective, saying, “Kwame Nkrumah discovered the importance of unity especially in politics. He attended school at Achimota and did a bit of sports and he realized that football in particular had a strong unifying force.”
He further added that, “After appointing Ohene Gyan as Director of Sports for Ghana. He sometimes planned with him some of the sports activities organized. Nkrumah worked solo in inviting Real Madrid to play with the Black Stars team. The idea was to show how far we’ve developed in football.”
“We were then just beginning to show our strength in football. There was a big debate whether it was proper for the Black Stars to play against a world-famous club side like Real Madrid because they were champions in Europe and dreaded by opponents,” Joe Lartey stated.
The veteran Ghanaian commentator emphasized that Ghana was only starting to demonstrate its football strength at that time and playing against a world-famous club like Real Madrid was a subject of intense debate.
This historic match against one of Europe’s most prestigious clubs became a significant moment in Ghanaian football history and helped raise the profile of the Black Stars on the international stage.
Real Madrid visited Africa for the first time to face the Black Stars squad of 1962 at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The European Champions fought for a late 3-3 equalizer to avoid defeat at the hands of Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana in the match.