Ghana national under-20 football team

Ghana national under-20 football team
Medal record
FIFA U-20 World Cup

Ghana Under-20
Nickname(s)	The Black Satellites
Association	Ghana Football Association
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	WAFU (West Africa)
Head coach	Desmond offei
FIFA code	GHA
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)
U-20 Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances	10 (first in 1991)
Best result	Winners (1993, 1999, 2009, 2021)
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Appearances	7 (first in 1993)
Best result	Champions (2009)

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 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Champions. They have also been a four-time African Champion in 1995, 1999, 2009, 2021 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.

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. This was 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.^{[citation needed]}

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.^{[citation needed]}

Competitive Record

FIFA U-20 World Cup Record

Year	Round	GP	W	D*	L	GS	GA
1977	did not participate
1979
1981
1983	Withdrew
1985	did not qualify
1987	Disqualified
1989	did not qualify
1991	did not qualify
1993	Runners-up	6	3	2	1	11	6
1995	did not qualify
1997	Fourth place	7	4	1	2	12	8
1999	Quarter finals	5	3	2*	0	8	2
2001	Runners-up	7	5	1	1	8	5
2003	did not qualify
2005
2007
2009	Champions	7	5	2*	0	16	8
2011	did not qualify
2013	Third Place	7	4	0	3	16	12
2015	Round of 16	4	2	1	1	5	6
2017	did not qualify
2019
2023
2025	to be determined
Total	7/24	43	26	9	8	76	47

Team honours and awards

FIFA U-20 World Cup Champions: 1

2009

FIFA U-20 World Cup Runners-up: 2

1993, 2001

FIFA U-20 World Cup Third-place: 1

2013

U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Champions: 4

1993, 1999, 2009, 2021

U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Runners-up: 2

2001, 2013

U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Third-place: 2

1991, 2015

WAFU U-20 Championship Champions: 1

2008

WAFU Zone B U-20 Tournament Champions: 1

2020

FIFA Golden Ball Winners: 2

Tournament	FIFA Golden Ball Award	Player
2009	Gold Ball Award	Dominic Adiyiah
2013	Bronze Ball Award	Clifford Aboagye

FIFA Golden Shoe Winners: 2

Tournament	FIFA Golden Shoe Award
2009	Dominic Adiyiah
2013	Ebenezer Assifuah

Current squad

The following players were selected for the 2022 Maurice Revello Tournament.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Club
1	1GK	Gregory Obeng Sekyere	(2003-12-10)10 December 2003 (aged 18)	Berekum Chelsea
2	2DF	Augustine Agyapong	(2004-01-21)21 January 2004 (aged 18)	Asante Kotoko
3	2DF	Bismark Anim	(2004-09-13)13 September 2004 (aged 17)	Tudu Mighty Jets
4	4FW	Alex Opoku Sarfo	(2004-10-20)20 October 2004 (aged 17)	Benab
5	2DF	Kwabena Boahen Gogoe	(2004-07-04)4 July 2004 (aged 17)	Dreams
6	3MF	Mohaison Mahmoud	(2005-04-21)21 April 2005 (aged 17)	United Black
7	3MF	Collins Boah	(2005-12-24)24 December 2005 (aged 16)	Dreams
8	3MF	Baafi Amankwah	(2003-08-21)21 August 2003 (aged 18)	Hearts of Oak
9	4FW	Mohammed Yahaya	(2004-11-10)10 November 2004 (aged 17)	Tamale City
10	4FW	Emmanuel Annor	(2003-04-29)29 April 2003 (aged 19)	Bechem United
11	4FW	Zubairu Ibrahim	(2004-06-02)2 June 2004 (aged 17)	King Faisal
12	3MF	Isaac Pappoe	(2002-02-07)7 February 2002 (aged 20)	Golden Kick
13	2DF	Moses Bawa	(2004-06-25)25 June 2004 (aged 17)	Baffour Academy
14	3MF	Abass Samari Salifu	(2004-07-02)2 July 2004 (aged 17)	Accra Lions
15	2DF	Jonas Adjei Adjetey	(2003-12-13)13 December 2003 (aged 18)	Berekum Chelsea
16	1GK	Vincent Anane	(2003-08-15)15 August 2003 (aged 18)	Legon Cities
17	4FW	Mustapha Yakubu	(2005-04-25)25 April 2005 (aged 17)	Heart of Lions
18	3MF	Isaac Mensah	(2002-02-07)7 February 2002 (aged 20)	Hearts of Oak
19	3MF	Aaron Essel	(2005-07-30)30 July 2005 (aged 16)	Bechem United
20	3MF	Abdul Razak Abdullah	(2004-11-03)3 November 2004 (aged 17)	Heart of Lions
21	2DF	Kelvin Abrefa	(2003-12-09)9 December 2003 (aged 18)	Reading U–23
22	2DF	Eugene Ampofoh Amankwah	(2004-11-30)30 November 2004 (aged 17)	Benab

Previous squads

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:

Clifford Aboagye (2013)
Dominic Adiyiah (2009)
Nii Lamptey (1993)
André Ayew (2009)
Daniel Addo (1993)
Samuel Kuffour (1993)
Augustine Ahinful (1993)
Charles Akonnor (1993)
Emmanuel Duah (1993)
Isaac Asare (1993)
Mohammed Gargo (1993)
Christian Gyan (1997)
Awudu Issaka (1997)
Kofi Amponsah (1997)
Stephen Appiah (1997, 1999)
Peter Ofori Quaye (1997, 1999)
Patrick Allotey (1997)
Baffour Gyan (1999)
Laryea Kingston (1999)
George Blay (1999)
Owusu Afriyie (1999)
Michael Essien (2001)
Sulley Muntari (2001)
Anthony Obodai (2001)
John Mensah (2001)
John Paintsil (2001)
Derek Boateng (2001)
Emmanuel Pappoe (2001)
Razak Pimpong (2001)
George Owu (2001)

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

2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup World Cup Winner Squad

Ghana

Head coach: Sellas Tetteh

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	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

Head-to-head record

The following table shows Ghana's head-to-head record in the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Opponent	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Argentina	3	2	0	1	4	5	−1	066.67
Austria	1	0	1	0	1	1	+0	000.00
Brazil	3	1	1	1	3	3	+0	033.33
Chile	1	1	0	0	4	3	+1	100.00
China	1	0	1	0	1	1	+0	000.00
Costa Rica	1	1	0	0	2	0	+2	100.00
Croatia	1	0	1	0	1	1	+0	000.00
Ecuador	1	1	0	0	1	0	+1	100.00
England	2	2	0	0	6	1	+5	100.00
Egypt	1	1	0	0	2	0	+2	100.00
France	3	0	1	2	2	5	−3	000.00
Germany	1	0	1	0	2	2	+0	000.00
Hungary	1	1	0	0	3	2	+1	100.00
Iran	1	1	0	0	1	0	+1	100.00
Iraq	1	1	0	0	3	0	+3	100.00
Japan	1	1	0	0	2	1	+1	100.00
Kazakhstan	1	1	0	0	3	0	+3	100.00
Mali	1	0	0	1	0	3	−3	000.00
Panama	1	1	0	0	1	0	+1	100.00
Paraguay	1	1	0	0	2	1	+1	100.00
Portugal	2	2	0	0	5	2	+3	100.00
Republic of Ireland	2	1	0	1	3	3	+0	050.00
Russia	1	1	0	0	3	0	+3	100.00
South Africa	1	1	0	0	2	1	+1	100.00
South Korea	1	1	0	0	3	2	+1	100.00
Spain	2	0	1	1	1	2	−1	000.00
United Arab Emirates	1	1	0	0	3	0	+3	100.00
United States	2	2	0	0	5	1	+4	100.00
Uruguay	3	0	2	1	5	6	−1	000.00
Uzbekistan	1	1	0	0	2	1	+1	100.00
Total	43	26	9	8	76	47	+29	060.47

Footnotes

^ "Australia 1993: Brazil make it three". FIFA. 1 September 2001. Archived from the original on 27 June 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2001.
^ "Superb Young Players". FIFA. 1 September 2001. Archived from the original on 8 June 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2001.
^ "Ghana: talented players as far as the eye can see". FIFA. 17 September 2004. Archived from the original on 27 October 2004. Retrieved 17 September 2004.

External links

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

[1] "Australia 1993: Brazil make it three". FIFA. 1 September 2001. Archived from the original on 27 June 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2001.

[2] "Superb Young Players". FIFA. 1 September 2001. Archived from the original on 8 June 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2001.

[3] "Ghana: talented players as far as the eye can see". FIFA. 17 September 2004. Archived from the original on 27 October 2004. Retrieved 17 September 2004.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e National under-20 football teams of Africa (CAF)
North Africa (UNAF)	Algeria Egypt Libya Morocco Tunisia
West Africa (WAFU)	Benin Burkina Faso Cape Verde Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Ivory Coast Liberia Mali Mauritania Niger Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone Togo
East Africa (CECAFA)	Burundi Djibouti Eritrea Ethiopia Kenya Rwanda Somalia South Sudan Sudan Tanzania Uganda Zanzibar¹
Central Africa (UNIFFAC)	Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Congo DR Congo Equatorial Guinea Gabon São Tomé and Príncipe
Southern Africa (COSAFA)	Angola Botswana Comoros Eswatini Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mauritius Mozambique Namibia Seychelles South Africa Zambia Zimbabwe
¹ Regional team, an associate member of CAF but not a member of FIFA Football in Africa portal