Andre ‘Dede’ Ayew, captain of the Black Stars has bemoaned the difficult nature of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
He said the perennial tournament for African nations is difficult to win the FIFA World Cup.
Ayew said this in the presence of President of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo and Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif at a farewell dinner in Kumasi on Tuesday night.
“This tournament is even harder than the World Cup,” he said.
“We know that it is the hardest tournament, for me, in the world when it comes to fighting, determination, and energy so the only way we can do this is by being together and being united, and for that Your Excellency, I can assure you that we are united and we want to do it,” he added.
The Black Stars left for Ivory Coast this morning after wrapping up preparations in Kumasi on Tuesday evening.
The tournament is scheduled to kick off on Saturday, January 13 through to February 11, 2024.
The Black Stars will open their account against Cape Verde on Sunday, January 14, 2024, before taking on Egypt and Mozambique on January 18 and 22 respectively in Group B.
Ayew has represented Ghana at both the AFCON and the World Cup, and he was part of the Black Stars squad that reached the quarterfinals of the biggest soccer mundial in South Africa back in 2010.
