Former President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi, has called on Ghana to recommit to structured grassroots football development, saying the country’s future success depends on sustained investment in youth talent and infrastructure.
In a post comparing football development in Ghana and Morocco, Mr. Nyantakyi said Morocco’s recent success on the international stage is the result of years of deliberate planning, investment in grassroots football, modern infrastructure and youth development programmes.
According to him, talent identification and grassroots football have always been central to the development agenda of both FIFA and Confederation of African Football through initiatives such as the FIFA Forward Programme and the GOAL Project.
Mr. Nyantakyi noted that Ghana embraced the same approach under the late Ben Koufie, who introduced a Five-Year Football Development Plan from 2001 to 2006.
He explained that the plan established structured competitions for boys and girls at the Under-11, Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 levels, while also focusing on the training of coaches, referees, medical personnel and football administrators.
According to him, after he succeeded Mr. Koufie as GFA President in 2005, his administration reviewed the development plan and introduced a revised Four-Year Business and Development Plan covering 2006 to 2010 to strengthen the existing programmes.
Mr. Nyantakyi said the late Ben Koufie later served as Technical Director and National Director of the programme, supported by experienced coaches including the late Sam Arday, the late E. K. Afranie, the late Osam Duodu, Francis Oti Akenten and several others.
He added that youth football programmes expanded across the country, with the National Under-15 and Under-17 Championships held in Tamale in 2006 and funded by proceeds from Ghana’s participation in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
He noted that from 2007, Airtel partnered with the GFA to support the programmes until 2011.
Mr. Nyantakyi stated that subsequent administrations continued implementing football development plans, while the current GFA leadership has also maintained youth football initiatives through partnerships, including with KGL.
Drawing lessons from Morocco, he said long-term success in football depends on sound planning and sustainable funding. He observed that, in addition to support from FIFA and CAF, the Moroccan government has invested heavily in football infrastructure, youth development and the training of coaches, referees and other football officials.
He pointed to government support for players in Morocco’s domestic leagues, particularly women footballers, as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s football system.
Mr. Nyantakyi stressed that Ghana should not depend solely on financial rewards from qualifying for major tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup, arguing that tournament bonuses alone cannot build a successful national team.
He maintained that lasting success requires consistent investment, deliberate planning and a clear pathway that develops players from grassroots football to the senior national teams.
According to him, Morocco’s achievements show that football success comes through vision, patience and sustained commitment to youth development.
He urged Ghana to recommit to the development principles that previously laid a strong foundation for the country’s football.
By: Jacob Aggrey