Ghana national under-20 football team

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.

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.

Head coach: Abdul-Karim Zito

as of February 2021 for 2021 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations [4]

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Club
1	1GK	William Emmanuel Essu	(2002-05-09)9 May 2002 (aged 18)	Vision
2	2DF	Philomon Baffour	(2001-02-06)6 February 2001 (aged 20)	Dreams
3	2DF	Benjamin Aloma	(2001-11-30)30 November 2001 (aged 19)	Vision
4	2DF	Nathaniel Adjei	(2002-08-21)21 August 2002 (aged 18)	Danbort
5	2DF	Frank Assinki	(2002-04-15)15 April 2002 (aged 18)	HB Køge
6	3MF	Emmanuel Essiam	(2003-12-19)19 December 2003 (aged 17)	Berekum Chelsea
7	4FW	Mathew Anim Cudjoe	(2003-11-11)11 November 2003 (aged 17)	Legon Cities
8	3MF	Sampson Agyapong	(2002-09-01)1 September 2002 (aged 18)	WAFA
9	4FW	Percious Boah	(2002-10-23)23 October 2002 (aged 18)	Dreams
10	4FW	Daniel Afriyie	(2001-06-26)26 June 2001 (aged 19)	Accra Hearts of Oak
11	4FW	Mohammed Sulemana	(2002-12-13)13 December 2002 (aged 18)	Dreams
12	1GK	David Kudjo	(2002-07-24)24 July 2002 (aged 18)	Action Boys
13	3MF	Patrick Mensah	(2001-10-04)4 October 2001 (aged 19)	Heart of Lions
14	2DF	Ivan Anokye Mensah	(2004-04-22)22 April 2004 (aged 16)	Zelina
15	2DF	McCarthy Ofori	(2005-05-03)3 May 2005 (aged 15)	Techiman Eleven Wonders
16	1GK	Appiah Kubi	(2001-01-11)11 January 2001 (aged 20)	Accra Lions
17	3MF	Eric Appiah	(2001-05-08)8 May 2001 (aged 19)	Club Brugge
18	4FW	Abdul Mugees Zakaria	(2001-12-27)27 December 2001 (aged 19)	Techiman Eleven Wonders
19	4FW	Samuel Agbenyega	(2003-05-26)26 May 2003 (aged 17)	Heart of Lions
20	4FW	Prince Kwabena Adu	(2003-09-23)23 September 2003 (aged 17)	Bechem United
21	1GK	Ibrahim Danlad	(2002-12-02)2 December 2002 (aged 18)	Asante Kotoko
22	3MF	Abdul Fatawu Issahaku	(2004-03-08)8 March 2004 (aged 16)	Steadfast FC
23	2DF	Samuel Abbey-Ashie Quaye	(2001-04-14)14 April 2001 (aged 19)	Accra Great Olympics
24	4FW	Frank Boateng	(2002-11-16)16 November 2002 (aged 18)	Prestige
25	4FW	Emmanuel Agyemang Duah	(2003-01-13)13 January 2003 (aged 18)	Ebony
26	2DF	Uzair Alhassan	(2002-03-29)29 March 2002 (aged 18)	Tamale
27	2DF	Joselpho Barnes	(2001-12-12)12 December 2001 (aged 19)	Schalke 04
28	3MF	David Acquah	(2001-04-04)4 April 2001 (aged 19)	Maccabi Haifa
29	3MF	Nana Kobina Osoh	(2001-09-15)15 September 2001 (aged 19)	Techiman Eleven Wonders
30	4FW	James Ampofo	(2003-10-20)20 October 2003 (aged 17)	Semper Fi Academy

• 2015 FIFA under-20 World Cup (squads) – Ghana
• 2009 FIFA under-20 World Cup (squads) – Ghana
• 2001 FIFA under-20 World Cup (squads) – Ghana
• 1999 FIFA under-20 World Cup (squads) – Ghana
• 1997 FIFA under-20 World Cup (squads) – Ghana
• 1993 FIFA under-20 World Cup (squads) – Ghana

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:

• Ghana national football team
• Ghana national U23 football team
• Ghana national U17 football team

• 2007 Toulon Tournament Squad
• Ghana Football Association – Official website
• Ghana Premier League website
• Ghanaweb Sports Page
• RSSSF Archive of all FIFA U20 Matches
• RSSSF Archive of all African U20 Matches
• 2009 African U20 Final Highlights