Ghana forward Joseph Paintsil has urged Ghanaians to move past the 2025 AFCON qualification disappointment and rally their support behind the team for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

The Black Stars failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations slated for Morocco next year, finishing bottom of Group F with only three points in the qualifiers.

It is the first time Ghana will miss the AFCON since 2004.

“This is football - now all nations are really good,” he said after the “Joseph Painstil All-Star match” held at Apenkwa Park in Achimota.

“It’s not like 10 years ago when you saw another team and said, ‘Oh, this team, we are going to score them five or four.’ It’s a difficult situation now, and everybody is playing in Europe, so you cannot say this team is bad or that national team is bad.

“Because the more you think that, they surprise us. All they [Ghanaians] need to do is help us, pray for us, and support us in the upcoming qualification for the World Cup.

“That’s the most important thing. So, they should come in their numbers to support us, and we will make them proud and always give them their ticket in their pockets.”

The team will assemble in March 2025 to prepare for the World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Madagascar.