Football fans in Ghana have been left disappointed, as their hopes of witnessing the Black Stars face off against Lionel Messi and the Argentina team have been dashed.
Earlier reports suggested that the Argentine Football Association (AFA) was seriously considering Ghana as one of the teams to play in the March 2024 international window.
Excitement grew among Ghanaians when news circulated that Argentina might take on Ghana just three days after their match against China on March 26. However, the AFA officially announced its opponents on January 29, 2024, revealing that Ivory Coast and Nigeria were chosen instead.
According to the AFA’s social media post, Argentina is set to play Nigeria, a familiar opponent, and then face Ivory Coast in the final game of the international window.
This revelation sparked reactions on social media, with Ghanaians expressing their disappointment at missing the opportunity to see Messi and his team play against Dede Ayew and the Black Stars.
Speculation arises that Argentina’s decision to choose Nigeria and Ivory Coast over Ghana could be influenced by the belief that the Black Stars might not be considered a credible opponent.
This assumption is fueled by the fact that both Nigeria and Ivory Coast have qualified for the quarterfinals of the 2023 AFCON, showcasing their competitive strengths.
While Nigeria and Ivory Coast continued to progress in the tournament, the Black Stars faced an early exit from the AFCON, winning none, drawing two, and losing one of their three Group B matches.
The disappointing performance in Ivory Coast led to the sacking of Chris Hughton by the Ghana Football Association. This marks the second consecutive group-stage exit for the Black Stars, following a similar fate in the 2021 edition of the AFCON.