The vice president of Ghana, Mahamudu Bawumia has charged Ghana’s Black Princesses to go to the FIFA Under-20 World Cup to make the nation proud.

Ben Fokuo’s side earned qualification to a sixth consecutive World Cup after beating Ethiopia in the last round of the qualifiers to book a ticket to Costa Rica.

Following their qualification, the team was invited to the Jubilee House to meet the vice president just as was done in the case of the Black Stars, who also qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Addressing the side during the meeting on Tuesday, April 5, Bawumia tasked the Princesses to go beyond the case of just participating in the tournament and try to win the 2022 edition.

“I followed your progress and I know it hasn’t been an easy journey in qualifying to the World Cup. You have had some tough matches along the way. You deserve to be in this year’s World Cup and we’re proud of you as a country. The Chief of Staff has told you and we are all very much in line with her thinking that, your job now is to go and bring the cup. That is a simple message and we are all going to join in supporting you to bring the cup. I have this feeling that you’re going to go beyond the group stages this time,” he said.

After failing to qualify for the World Cup between 2002 and 2008, the Princesses have been consistent in the last five editions with the current qualification meaning they will play in a sixth tournament in a row (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022). In all of these appearances (except 2022), Ghana has failed to pass the group stage round, which is a bit worrying for the many who have followed the team in recent times.

Background of their performances in previous editions

Germany – 2010 [Group Stage Exit]
In their maiden appearance at the Mundial, the Princesses finished third in their group despite amassing four points. Elizabeth Cudjoe scored in a 1-1 draw against the USA while they lost with a 2-4 scoreline to South Korea. But a historic first win in the competition came against Switzerland in their final group game.

Japan – 2012 [Group Stage Exit]
Drawn in Group D, the Princesses finished bottom of the group, with no goals scored and six goals conceded in three games. They lost to the USA (4-0), Germany (1-0) and China (1-0) to complete their worst performance at the global showpiece.

Canada – 2014 [Group Stage Exit]
Ghana felt hard done in the 2014 edition of the competition. North Korea, Canada and Ghana all finished with six points in Group A but a negative goal difference meant that the Black Princesses missed out on a place in the next stage of the competition. To date, that has been the team’s best performance in the competition.

Papua New Guinea – 2016 [Group Stage Exit]
Just like in 2012, Ghana finished bottom of their group in Papua New Guinea, with the only improvement being the two points they got from the three group stage games. The Princesses only lost in the tournament came against New Zealand but they drew with France and USA.

France – 2018 [Group Stage Exit]
In their last appearance at the competition, Ghana lost one of their three games, losing the other two. Ghana scored twice and conceded eight times in France. The Princess finished third in Group A, missing out on a place in the next round to France and the Netherlands respectively.

Once again, Fokuo and his ladies will be at the Mundial, this time playing in Costa Rica. With the kind of reception given them by the people of Ghana and the presidency, the Princesses definitely have a point to prove and at least go beyond the group stage.