The President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Okraku, has called on Ghanaians to put the pre-squad announcement debates behind them and support the Black Stars fight for glory at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

He said this on Monday when head coach, Chris Hughton, named his final 27-man squad for the tournament to be hosted in Côte d’Ivoire – in 11 days.

Kurt Okraku said each person has an opinion on who should be in Ghana’s final squad, but once the squad was announced, the team needs the support of the nation to perform well.

“My plea to all of us is that once the squad is announced, the entire nation must get behind the squad,” he said.

“My plea, even if I have to kneel down and beg the entire country, I’ll do so, is that we have one senior national team, the Black Stars and once the men for the job are announced, they are our Warriors.

“Let’s get behind the squad, let us leave behind all the pre-announcement discussions and as Ghanaians, let’s push and put our weight behind the men who have been picked to go to Côte d’Ivoire to fight for glory for our dear country.”

Ghana is set to open their group stage campaign against Cape Verde on Sunday, January 14, 2024.

The Black Stars will then play against record champions Egypt in their second group match against Egypt in four days before wrapping up the group face against Mozambique on January 22.