The President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, has charged the Black Princesses to deliver an excellent account of themselves at the FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup, scheduled to commence on August 31, 2024, in Colombia.
The President interacted with players and officials at a farewell dinner at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra on Monday August 12, 2024.
While assuring the team of sustained support from the GFA and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, President Simeon-Okraku expressed his optimism about the prospects of the team citing the presence of top talents in the team and the good preparation the team has had ahead of the global showpiece.
“I am happy to be here, finally, to see our beautiful Princesses in your last moments here in Ghana before you depart our beautiful shores to fly all the way to Colombia, not only to represent, but to compete and to be competitive all the way through the tournament. I’m saying this based on my personal conviction that we have a good collection of top talents for this age category,” President Simeon-Okraku said
“With the support of our ever-hardworking Sports Minister, we’ve had a very, very good level of preparation. From the now beautiful Prampram to the ever-popular Central Region and now to Accra: I think it’s been a very, very good preparatory period for the team.”
“I trust the technical team that we have. I would want to believe that they are doing whatever it takes to get the team ready. When we appear on the turf for our first game, that will be our seventh time appearing at the U-20 World Cup. The seventh consecutive time. What that means is that we are a force already. Our challenge now is to make the biggest impact ever.”
The President tasked the team to maintain a high level of work ethic to deliver success for the country.
“Once we believe in ourselves, once we stay together, like I’ve always said, to all our national teams, once we are very supportive of each other in the most difficult moments on the pitch, and once we fight and play as a team, we can go all the way.”
“This is the belief and trust each one of you must have in yourselves. When things get tough, that is the moment you need each other more. You need to stay together and work together. And when that is done, I’m absolutely sure that we will change our story.”
He charged the team to break new ground in the tournament after six previous unsuccessful attempts to advance beyond the group stage.
“Our story is already known to Ghanaians. Our history is already known to the world. We want to make a better story or write a better story. We want a much-improved history to be made. That should be the end vision as we leave Ghana. The government has been supportive, like I said earlier, and will continue to provide all the necessary logistics that this team will need till the very end.”
“On behalf of your own football association, I wish you well. The entire Ghanaian football community is behind this squad. The nation, Ghana, is very expectant.”
As Ghana heads to the polls to elect a new President and Parliamentarians on December 7, 2024, President Simeon-Okraku urged the team to deliver results that will bring Ghanaians together after the referendum as football serves as a unifying factor.
“Do not forget that we are heading into national elections come the end of the year, and we would want to use football as the biggest unifying vehicle or tool to keep our nation together. So, you have a role to play. As individuals, as a team, you have a role to play in that vision,” he advised
“Go and show the world that we are stronger together, and indeed, we are the Princesses from Ghana. I wish you well. May the Almighty God be with all of you on this journey. May He protect all of you and may He give you extra strength to be able to run the extra miles on the pitch as we fight for glory to make our dear nation great and strong. I wish you well. And God be with you,” he ended.
On his part, the Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Mustapha Ussif, reiterated Government’s continious support to the team as they embark on the long journey to Colombia.
“On behalf of His Excellency the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, I am here to bid you a hopeful farewell as you embark on this journey to represent the entire country. The GFA President has spoken. I’m here to just also give you an assurance that the entire government is behind you,” Hon. Mustapha Ussif told the players and officials.
“Everything that we are supposed to put in place, you can testify that we have done that beautifully. We took action when we had difficulties during your camp in Cape Coast to ensure that your stay there became very successful.”
“So, as you leave the shores of our country, be rest assured that we are with you. And you are not only going there to represent yourself, neither your family or your community alone, you are representing the entire country. So, this should be at the back of your minds.”
“When you step on the pitch, you should look back and know that you are representing over 30 million Ghanaians. For every decision that you are going to take on the pitch, be aware that it is people’s emotions and passions that you are representing, so you do your best to represent us well.”
He added: “We’ll make sure we put everything in place in terms of logistics and finance. Just do your best to raise the flag of our dear country very high in Colombia. And like the President said, I’ll be the happiest minister to come to Kotoka International Airport to receive you with the trophy. Go all out and make yourselves proud. Enjoy yourselves and enjoy the game and bring glory back home.” he concluded.
The Black Princesses are scheduled to depart for Colombia on Tuesday August 13, 2024, ahead of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, which kicks off from Saturday, August 31, 2024, and runs till Sunday, September 22, 2024.
The team has gone through intensive preparations in Cape Coast since June 27, 2024,focusing on tactical strategies, physical conditioning, and overall team cohesion.
They moved camp to Accra at the weekend to finalise preparations ahead of their journey to Colombia for the World Cup.
The Black Princesses will open their campaign against Austria on Monday, September 2, before taking on Japan and New Zealand in the other group E matches.
The team is aiming to break new ground in the tournament after six previous unsuccessful attempts to advance beyond the group stage.
President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku was accompanied by Vice-President Mark Addo, Deputy General Secretary in charge of national teams, Alex Asante, Executive Council Members Gideon Fosu and Samuel Aboabire, and National U20 Women’s Management Committee members.
