Mali head coach Tom Saintfiet has admitted he is “shocked” that Ghana will not feature at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, describing the Black Stars’ absence from the competition as almost unthinkable.
The four-time African champions, long regarded as one of the continent’s football powerhouses, endured a disastrous qualifying campaign, failing to secure a single win across six matches. They finished bottom of their group with just three points, marking their first AFCON absence in over 20 years. The tournament will be staged later this year in Morocco, but for the first time in decades, Ghana will not be part of the showcase.
Otto Addo: ‘Ghana will put in everything to beat Mali in World Cup Qualifier’
Saintfiet, speaking to the media ahead of Mali’s World Cup qualifying clash with Ghana this evening at the Accra Sports Stadium, expressed both respect for the Black Stars and disbelief at their failure to qualify.
“It will be a very tough task. I have huge respect for the Ghanaian team. I really believe that they have everything, and it’s shocking that they won’t play in the AFCON,” Saintfiet said.
The Belgian tactician went further, insisting Ghana’s quality is undeniable and predicting brighter days ahead.
“A country like Ghana must become African champion in the near future with all this quality,” he added.
Tonight’s highly anticipated World Cup qualifier, part of Matchday 8 in the 2026 campaign, kicks off at 19:00 GMT.
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