Ghana national under-20 football team

Ghana national U-20 football team known as the Black Satellites, is considered to be the feeder team for the Ghana national football team. They are the former FIFA U-20 World Cup Champions and African Youth Champions, they have also been a three-time African Champion in 1995, 1999, 2009 and a two-time Runner-up at the FIFA World Youth Championship in 1993, 2001 and finished third in 2013. Ghana has participated in only six of the past 19 World Cup events starting with their first in Australia 1993 where they lost the World Cup final 1-2 to Brazil in Sydney and in Argentina 2001 where they lost the World Cup final 0-3 to Argentina in Buenos Aires. Incredibly, in 32 FIFA World Cup matches, Ghana has not lost a game in regulation below the Semi Final level of the FIFA U20 World Cup. They however failed to qualify for 3 consecutive events in UAE 2003, Netherlands 2005 and Canada 2007 until they made the Egypt 2009 Tournament.

Ghana Under-20
Nickname(s)The Black Satellites
AssociationGhana Football Association
ConfederationCAF (Africa)
Sub-confederationWAFU (West Africa)
Head coachYaw Preko
FIFA codeGHA
First colours
Second colours
First international
 Gambia 1 – 0  Ghana
(Banjul, Gambia; 9 September 1984)
Biggest win
 Ghana 6 – 0  Mali
(Accra, Ghana; 11 November 1990)
Biggest defeat
 Algeria 3 – 0  Ghana
(Algiers, Algeria; 27 August 1988)
 Colombia 4 – 1  Ghana
(Le Pontet, France; 29 May 2000)
 Argentina 3 – 0  Ghana
(Buenos Aires, Argentina; 8 July 2001)
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Appearances7 (first in 1993)
Best resultChampions 2009, Runner-up, 1993, 2001
African Youth Championship
Appearances10 (first in 1991)
Best result Winners, 1993, 1999, 2009
Ghana national under-20 football team
Medal record
FIFA U-20 World Cup
1993 Australia Team
2001 Argentina Team
2009 Egypt Team
2013 Turkey Team

They won the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in the Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt after defeating Brazil 4-3 on Penalties when the match ended (0-0) After Extra Time. The first time an African country won the FIFA U-20 World Cup Championship.

Superb young players

The Black Satellites reached the FIFA U-20 World Cup final in their 1st appearance in Australia 1993 (Australia 1993 U-20 html Stats here), catching many teams on the hop with their lightning changes of pace. In fact, nine of the 22 players in the "Black Satellites'" squad had lifted the FIFA U-17 World Championship two years earlier, so their performance could only really be considered a half-surprise. Still they were a joy to watch: enterprising and unpredictable.[1] They repeated the feat in 2001 succumbing to Tournament Hosts Argentina in the Final. Previously in 1997, they had lost 3-2 on a golden goal to Uruguay in Extra Time of the World Cup Semi Final. In 1999 eventual Champions Spain eliminated Ghana in the Quarter Final on sudden death penalty kicks after a 1-1 tied game.

What makes Ghana's footballers so dominant in their age group? FIFA Magazine[2] asked Otto Pfister. Football is not simply the most popular sport in this part of Africa, it is an absolute religion, he said. This is the way the game is regarded in Ghana. Young boys here think about football 24 hours a day and play for at least eight – whether on clay, rough fields or dusty streets. They develop their skills naturally, without any specific training, and end up with superb technique and ability on the ball. They are also fast and tricky, and can feint well with their bodies. Africa and South America have by far the best young footballers in the world – on a technical level they are superb. And technique is what it takes to make a good player.

What else goes towards making Ghana so strong? Otto Pfister continues; In Africa there is often only one way for many young lads to escape from poverty and to make their way up the social scale – football. Youngsters want to become stars and to play in a top European league. That is their main aim and they will do anything to achieve it. Let me give you an example: While I was coaching in Ghana I once told my team to be ready for training at three o'clock in the morning. At half past two they were all assembled and ready to go. They want to learn and they want to play for the national team. They know that in their country a national team player is a hero and enjoys a level of prestige that is not comparable to that in Europe. Another positive point for young players in Ghana is that there are many good coaches in the country who help develop the available talent and above all want to let them play. This policy pays off.[3] Today, many Ghanaian youngsters are in G14 Club Academies in Europe.

Competitive Record

FIFA World Youth Championship Record
Ghana national u-21 team before the friendly match with Bulgarian V AFG side Slivnishki Geroi (1-1), 18-11-2010, Slivnitsa, Bulgaria.
Year Round GP W D* L GS GA GD
1977Did not participate------
1979Did not participate------
1981Did not participate------
1983Withdrew------
1985Did not qualify------
1987Disqualified------
1989Did not qualify------
1991Did not qualify------
1993Runners-up6321116+5
1995Did not qualify------
1997Semi finals7412128+4
1999Quarter finals532*082+6
2001Runners-up751185+3
2003Did not qualify------
2005Did not qualify------
2007Did not qualify------
2009Champions752*0168+8
2011Did not qualify------
2013Third Place74031612+4
2015Round of 16421156-1
2017Did not qualify------
2019Did not qualify------
2021To be determined------
Total7/234326987647+29
  • Silver background color indicates second-place finish at the World Cup.
  • Gold background color indicates winners at the World Cup.

*Denote draws including the 2009 Final match decided on penalty kicks v Brazil 4-3p when the match ended (0-0) After Extra Time, and the 1999 Quarter-Final match decided on penalty kicks v Spain (7-8p).

Team honours and awards

Current squad

Head coach: Jimmy Cobblah

The following players were selected to take part in the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
# Name Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
Goalkeepers
12 Kwame Baah (1998-04-21) 21 April 1998 11 0 Heart of Lions
1 Lawrence Ati (1996-11-29) 29 November 1996 1 0 FC Liefering
16 Mutawakilu Seidu (1995-08-08) 8 August 1995 1 0 Hearts of Oak
Defenders
5 Fobi Kingsley (1998-09-20) 20 September 1998 4 1 Right to Dream Academy
4 Joseph Bempah (C) (1995-09-05) 5 September 1995 10 1 Hearts of Oak
2 Emmanuel Ntim (1996-03-12) 12 March 1996 1 0 Valenciennes FC
3 Patrick Kpozo (1997-07-15) 15 July 1997 1 0 Inter Allies FC
14 Joseph Aidoo (1995-09-29) 29 September 1995 1 0 Inter Allies FC
15 Joseph Adjei (1995-08-20) 20 August 1995 0 0 Wa All Stars
21 Patrick Asmah (1996-01-25) 25 January 1996 0 0 BA Stars
Midfielders
6 Godfred Donsah (1996-06-07) 7 June 1996 1 0 Cagliari
8 Kofi Yeboah (1995-05-14) 14 May 1995 1 0 Wa All Stars
11 Abraham Attobrah (1995-03-15) 15 March 1995 1 0 New Edubiase United FC
13 David Atanga (1996-12-25) 25 December 1996 1 0 FC Red Bull Salzburg
18 Barnes Osei (1995-01-08) 8 January 1995 1 0 Pacos Ferreira
Strikers
7 Samuel Tetteh (1996-07-28) 28 July 1996 0 0 WAFA
9 Emmanuel Boateng (1996-05-23) 23 May 1996 1 0 Rio Ave F.C.
10 Clifford Aboagye (1995-02-11) 11 February 1995 10 0 Inter Allies FC
17 Yaw Yeboah (1997-03-28) 28 March 1997 1 1 Man City
19 Benjamin Tetteh (1997-07-10) 10 July 1997 1 0 Tudu Mighty Jets FC
20 Prosper Kasim (1996-12-15) 15 December 1996 4 1 IFK Gothenburg

Previous squads
Most Recent Squad
Date announced 10 July 2013[4]
Game(s)  Iraq, 13 July 2013
Venue(s) Türk Telekom Arena, Istanbul, Turkey
Attendance 20,601
Referee Sandro Ricci (Brazil)
Competition 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup Third Place

Notable players

The following list consist of previous Ghana U-20 national team players who have won or were influential at the FIFA U-20 World Cup with the Ghana U-20 national team or the FIFA U-17 World Cup with the Ghana U-17 national team, and those who were part of the Ghana U-23 national team that won the Bronze medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. The list also includes the players who have graduated from the Ghana U-20 national team and gone on to represent the senior Ghana national team at the FIFA World Cup or African Cup of Nations:

Notable coaches
FIFA Tourney Manager name
2013 Sellas Tetteh
2009 Sellas Tetteh
2001 Emmanuel Akwasi Afranie
1999 Giuseppe Dossena
1997 Francis Oti Akenteng
1993 Fred Osam-Duodu

Former (2007) U-20 squad

Squad for the Toulon Tournament in France from 31–9 May June 2007.

This team was eliminated 4-3 on penalty kicks by Burkina Faso after a 1-1 aggregate tie in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup African Qualifiers on 22 October 2006.

2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup World Cup Winner Squad

 Ghana

Head coach: Sellas Tetteh

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Daniel Adjei (1989-11-10)10 November 1989 (aged 19) Liberty
2 2DF Samuel Inkoom (1989-06-01)1 June 1989 (aged 20) Basel
3 3MF Gladson Awako (1990-12-31)31 December 1990 (aged 18) Heart of Lions
4 2DF Jonathan Mensah (1990-07-13)13 July 1990 (aged 19) Free State Stars
5 2DF Daniel Addo (1989-09-03)3 September 1989 (aged 20) King Faisal
6 2DF David Addy (1990-02-21)21 February 1990 (aged 19) FC Porto
7 3MF Abeiku Quansah (1990-11-02)2 November 1990 (aged 18) Nice
8 3MF Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (1990-12-02)2 December 1990 (aged 18) Asante Kotoko
9 3MF Opoku Agyemang (1989-06-07)7 June 1989 (aged 20) Al-Sadd
10 3MF André Ayew (c) (1989-12-17)17 December 1989 (aged 19) Marseille
11 4FW Latif Salifu (1990-08-01)1 August 1990 (aged 19) Liberty
12 2DF Ghandi Dassenu (1989-08-09)9 August 1989 (aged 20) Liberty
13 3MF Mohammed Rabiu (1989-12-31)31 December 1989 (aged 19) Liberty
14 2DF Daniel Opare (1990-10-18)18 October 1990 (aged 18) Real Madrid
15 2DF Philip Boampong (1990-01-01)1 January 1990 (aged 19) Arsenal
16 1GK Robert Dabuo (1990-11-10)10 November 1990 (aged 18) Wa All Stars
17 2DF John Benson (1991-08-27)27 August 1991 (aged 18) ASPIRE
18 4FW Ransford Osei (1990-12-05)5 December 1990 (aged 18) Medeama
19 2DF Bright Addae (1992-12-19)19 December 1992 (aged 16) Wa All Stars
20 4FW Dominic Adiyiah (1989-11-29)29 November 1989 (aged 19) Fredrikstad FK
21 1GK Joseph Addo (1990-11-02)2 November 1990 (aged 18) Sekondi Hasaacas

See also

Footnotes
  1. "Australia 1993: Brazil make it three". fifa.com. 1 September 2001. Archived from the original on 27 June 2007. Retrieved 2001-09-01.
  2. "Superb Young Players". fifa.com. 1 September 2001. Retrieved 1 September 2001.
  3. "Ghana: talented players as far as the eye can see". fifa.com. 17 September 2004. Archived from the original on 27 October 2004. Retrieved 2004-09-17.
  4. https://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/matches/round=259227/match=300232840/report.html
Preceded by
2007 Argentina 		 World Champions
2009 (First title)		 Succeeded by
2011 Brazil 
Preceded by
1991 Egypt 		 African Champions
1993 (First title)		 Succeeded by
1995 Cameroon 
Preceded by
1997 Morocco 		 African Champions
1999 (Second title)		 Succeeded by
2001 Angola 
Preceded by
2007 Congo 		 African Champions
2009 (Third title)		 Succeeded by
2011 Nigeria 
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