Ghana U23 football team (also known as Ghana Olympic football team or Black Meteors), represents Ghana in international football competitions in Olympic Games, All-Africa Games, and CAF U-23 Championship. The selection is limited to players aged 23 and under the age of 23, except during the Olympic Games where the use of three overage players is allowed. The team is controlled by the Ghana Football Association (GFA).
| Nickname(s) | The Black Meteors | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) | ||
| Confederation | ANOCA (Africa) | ||
| Head coach | Ibrahim Tanko | ||
| Home stadium | Accra Sports Stadium | ||
| FIFA code | GHA | ||
| |||
| Olympic Games | |||
| Appearances | 6 (first in 1964) | ||
| Best result | 3rd: 1992 | ||
| Africa U-23 Cup of Nations | |||
| Appearances | 1 (first in 2019) | ||
| Best result | Fourth place (2019) | ||
| All-Africa Games | |||
| Appearances | 5 (first in 1973) | ||
| Best result |  Gold Medal (2011) | ||
Medal record | |||
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's Football | ||
 |
1992 Barcelona | Team |
The team had qualified for five straight Olympic Games Football Tournaments when the tournament was still a full senior national team competition. In 1992, they became the first African country to win a medal at Olympic Games football. The Black Meteors failed to qualify for Beijing 2008 and although being the 2011 All-Africa Games champions, the Ghana Olympic football team failed to qualify for the 2011 CAF U-23 Championship, thus did not participate in London 2012.[2]
History edit
Ghana appeared in the quarter-final of the Olympic Games in 1964 where they were beaten by Romania in the quarter-final. They played in the 1968, 1972 Olympic tournaments, but never progressed further than the Group stages. They also qualified in 1976 then withdrew.
In 1992, Ghana reached the semi-final for the first time, they defeated Australia 2-0 to claim their first bronze medal in the event, and thus became the first African country to win a medal at football.
Ghana reached the quarter-finals of the Olympics football tournament in 1996 for the second time, they lost 4–2 against Brazil.
In the Athens 2004 tournament Ghana were eliminated in the Group stages after they lost a must win game 1–0 against Japan. The team were not able to qualify for Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
Results and fixtures edit
- Legend
Win Draw Lose Fixture
2021 edit
| 5 June Friendly | Japan  | 6–0 |  Ghana | Fukuoka, Japan |
| 19:25 UTC+9 | Doan  16'Kubo 32'Assinki 45' (o.g.)Soma 48'Ueda 56'Mitoma 89' |
Report (JFA) Report (JFA) |
Stadium: Best Denki Stadium Attendance: 0 Referee: Hiroki Kasahara (Japan) |
| 12 June Friendly | South Korea  | 3–1 | Ghana | Seogwipo, South Korea |
| Lee Sang-min 18' Lee Seung-mo 59'Cho Gue-sung 66' |
Report | Obeng Gyabaa 76' |
Stadium: Jeju World Cup Stadium Attendance: 2,532 Referee: Chae Sang-hyub (Korea) |
| 15 June Friendly | South Korea | 2–1 | Ghana | Seogwipo, South Korea |
| Jeong Woo-yeong 41' Lee Dong-jun 65' |
Report | Barnes 51' |
Stadium: Jeju World Cup Stadium Attendance: 2,337 Referee: Choi Hyun-jai (Korea) |
Coaching staff edit
Current coaching staff edit
- As of 28 June 2022
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Ibrahim Tanko
|
| Assistant coach | Michael Osei
|
| Assistant coach | Godwin Attram
|
| Goalkeepers Trainer | Cudjoe Addo
|
| Team Doctor | Christopher Adomako
|
| Masseur | Anum George Amassah
|
| Welfare Officer | Ablade Kumah
|
| Equipment Officer | Emmanuel Opoku
|
Source: Ghana Football Association[3]
Manager history edit
- As of 5 June 2021 after the match against
Japan.
| Manager | Period | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matches | Won | Draw | Lost | Win % | ||
| Malik Jabir |
2015 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Yusif Abubakar |
2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Ibrahim Tanko[4] |
2019 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36.4% |
| Paa Kwesi Fabin[5] |
2019–2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Ibrahim Tanko[3] |
2022– | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75% |
Players edit
Current squad edit
The following players were called up for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches against Algeria on 24 and 28 March 2023.[6]
Previous squads edit
- African Games
Africa U-23 Cup of Nations
- 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations – squads
Competitive record edit
Olympic Games edit
| Summer Olympics record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA |
 1896 |
No football tournament | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1900 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1904 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1908 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1912 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1920 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1924 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1928 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1932 |
No football tournament | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1936 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1948 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1952 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1956 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1960 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1964 |
Quarter-finals | - | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 |
 1968 |
Round 1 | - | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 8 |
 1972 |
Round 1 | - | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
 1976 |
Withdrew | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1980 |
Withdrew After Qualifying | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1984 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1988 |
Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1992 |
Third place | 3 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 6 |
| 1996 |
Quarter-finals | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| 2000 |
Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 2004 |
Round 1 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
 2008 |
Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2012 |
Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 2016 |
Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2020 |
Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total | Third place | 6/26 | 22 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 31 | 44 |
Note: Football at the Summer Olympics has been an under-23 tournament since 1992.
African Games edit
| African Games record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA |
 1965 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1969 |
No football tournament | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1973 |
Semi-finals | - | 3 | |||||
 1978 |
Third place | 3 | 3 | |||||
 1987 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1991 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1995 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1999 |
Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2003 |
Third place | 3 | 3 | |||||
| 2007 |
Round 1 | - | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
 2011 |
Champions | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Total | 5/10 | 1 Titles | 16 | |||||
Note: Football at the All-Africa Games has been an under-23 tournament since 1991.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Since 1992, squads for Football at the Summer Olympics have been restricted to three players over the age of 23. The achievements of such teams are not usually included in the statistics of the international team.
- ^ Ghana Football Association. www.ghanafa.org.
- ^ a b "Ibrahim Tanko appointed as Coach of Black Meteors". Ghana FA. Ghana Football Association. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ Association, Ghana Football. "PROFILE OF NATIONAL TEAM COACHES: Ibrahim Tanko". www.ghanafa.org. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
- ^ Association, Ghana Football. "Paa Kwesi Fabin named as Head coach of National U-23 team". www.ghanafa.org. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
- ^ "Black Meteors 26-Squad For Algeria Assignment". Ghana Football Association. 23 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
External links edit
- Ghana national under-23 football team (Black Meteors) – official website (in English)