Vice President John Dramani Mahama says after watching Friday’s titanic, suspense-filled FIFA Youth Championships finals between Ghana and Brazil, he is convinced God is a Ghanaian. “If you watched yesterday’s match I’m convinced God is a Ghanaian. We had heartaches, those who had running tummies and all that…I mean after 120 minutes we just thank God and thank the resilience of you players. You’ve done this nation very proud and when we see players like you we know that Ghana has a great future in football.” Vice President Mahama was addressing the historic national U-20 football team, the Black Satellites that won gold at the World Youth Championships in Egypt, their handlers and officials on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport Saturday night. Hundreds of football fans thronged the airport to welcome the victorious team that also had one of its members, striker Dominic Adiyiah win the tournament’s best player and golden boot awards. The Vice President said by the sweet victory, the Satellites united Africa because every African became a Ghanaian. “Yesterday, [Friday] every African became a Ghanaian. Immediately after the match, Mr. President told me that several of his colleagues from across the continent – presidents were watching the match – started to send him congratulatory messages. I also received congratulatory messages from several vice presidents. So it means that the whole of Africa was watching and the whole of Africa was counting on the [Black Satellites] to win victory. There were times when we despaired- when Addo was sent off and the cameras showed the look on coach Sellas Tetteh’s face, when he put his hands on his head. You know most of us said this won’t work out against Brazil with 10 men, and to have held on to full time, into extra time, and beat them on penalties, it’s a miracle and we thank God for that and we thank all of you for the work that you’ve done.” Vice President Mahama expressed the gratitude of the government to the players, the technical handlers and officials especially for working so hard to bring the three most important awards in the tournament to Ghana. He expressed the hope that the feat would be a precursor to mightier things to happen to Ghana at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. “And I’m certain that if our players apply themselves and die a little for their country like you guys did – I mean you just kept going I don’t know where you got the energy and everybody speaks highly of the stamina that you showed in the match – if we show the same determination and the same sense of purpose, and I’m sure that as I said that God is a Ghanaian, in 2010 we shall bring that World Cup too back to Ghana.” He assured the team that their efforts will be well rewarded. [Listen to the attached audio for the full address.] Story by Isaac Yeboah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana