President John Dramani Mahama has challenged Black Stars players to demonstrate greater patriotism and commitment whenever they represent Ghana, insisting that every player should take pride in singing the national anthem before matches.

The President made the remarks while reflecting on Ghana’s campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the Black Stars bowed out of the tournament following a narrow 1-0 defeat to Colombia.

Speaking in a light-hearted but pointed manner, Mahama questioned the attitude of some members of the national team during pre-match ceremonies, contrasting their conduct with that of players from other countries who passionately sang their national anthems.

“During the World Cup, our players couldn’t sing the national anthem, while players from other countries sang with pride. If you cannot sing the national anthem, you cannot be in the team,” the President said.

Mahama stressed that representing Ghana should be viewed as a privilege that extends beyond footballing ability, urging players to embrace the responsibility of wearing the Black Stars jersey with pride, passion and unwavering commitment.

The Black Stars produced several spirited performances during the tournament and earned plaudits for their resilience against some of the world’s strongest teams. However, their hopes of progressing to the knockout stage were dashed after the defeat to Colombia.

Attention will now turn to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, which are scheduled to begin in September 2026, as Ghana seeks to rebuild and strengthen the squad ahead of future international assignments.