# Ghana national under-23 football team

Ghana U23 football team (also known as Ghana Olympic football team or Black Meteors), represents Ghana in international football competitions in Olympic Games, All-Africa Games, and CAF U-23 Championship. The selection is limited to players aged 23 and under the age of 23, except during the Olympic Games where the use of three overage players is allowed. The team is controlled by the Ghana Football Association (GFA).
The team had qualified for five straight Olympic Games Football Tournaments when the tournament was still a full senior national team competition. In 1992, they became the first African country to win a medal at Olympic Games football. The Black Meteors failed to qualify for Beijing 2008 and although being the 2011 All-Africa Games champions, the Ghana Olympic football team failed to qualify for the 2011 CAF U-23 Championship, thus did not participate in London 2012.

## History

Ghana appeared in the quarter-final of the Olympic Games in 1964 where they were beaten by Romania in the quarter-final. They played in the 1968, 1972 Olympic tournaments, but never progressed further than the Group stages. They also qualified in 1976 then withdrew.
In 1992, Ghana reached the semi-final for the first time, they defeated Australia 2-0 to claim their first bronze medal in the event, and thus became the first African country to win a medal at football.
Ghana reached the quarter-finals of the Olympics football tournament in 1996 for the second time, they lost 4–2 against Brazil.
In the Athens 2004 tournament Ghana were eliminated in the Group stages after they lost a must win game 1–0 against Japan. The team were not able to qualify for Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

## Results and fixtures
### Legend

Win Draw Lose Fixture

### 2021

* Ghana under-23 Results and Fixtures – Soccerway.com
* Ghana Results and Fixtures – FIFA.com

## Coaching staff
### Current coaching staff

    As of 28 June 2022
| Position | Name |
| Head coach | Ibrahim Tanko |
| Assistant coach | Michael Osei |
| Assistant coach | Godwin Attram |
| Goalkeepers Trainer | Cudjoe Addo |
| Team Doctor | Christopher Adomako |
| Masseur | Anum George Amassah |
| Welfare Officer | Ablade Kumah |
| Equipment Officer | Emmanuel Opoku |
Source: Ghana Football Association

### Manager history

    As of 5 June 2021 after the match against Japan.
| Manager | Period | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Manager | Period | Matches | Won | Draw | Lost | Win % |
| Malik Jabir | 2015 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Yusif Abubakar | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Ibrahim Tanko | 2019 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36.4% |
| Paa Kwesi Fabin | 2019–2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Ibrahim Tanko | 2022– | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75% |

## Players
### Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches against Algeria on 24 and 28 March 2023.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Club |
| 1GK | Haruna Aziz Dari | (2001-05-23) 23 May 2001 (age 23) | Bechem United |
| 1GK | Ibrahim Danlad | (2002-12-02) 2 December 2002 (age 21) | Asante Kotoko |
| 1GK | William Essu | (2002-05-09) 9 May 2002 (age 22) | Legon Cities |
| 2DF | Samuel Abbey-Ashie Quaye | (2001-04-14) 14 April 2001 (age 23) | Accra Great Olympics |
| 2DF | Emmanuel Cudjoe | (1998-04-11) 11 April 1998 (age 26) | Attram de Visser |
| 2DF | Aaron Essel | (2005-07-30) 30 July 2005 (age 19) | Bechem United |
| 2DF | David Oppong Afrane | (2002-12-03) 3 December 2002 (age 21) | King Faisal Babes |
| 2DF | Augustine Randolf | (2001-03-26) 26 March 2001 (age 23) | Karela United |
| 2DF | Godfred Poku Wakii | (2003-10-16) 16 October 2003 (age 20) | Aduana Stars |
| 3MF | Salim Adams | (2002-10-11) 11 October 2002 (age 21) | Cincinnati |
| 3MF | Emmanuel Essiam | (2003-12-19) 19 December 2003 (age 20) | Basel |
| 3MF | Eugene Frimpong | (2003-02-02) 2 February 2003 (age 21) | Real Valladolid |
| 3MF | Dominic Nsobila | (2002-12-19) 19 December 2002 (age 21) | Accra Lions |
| 3MF | Alex Opoku Sarfo | (2004-10-20) 20 October 2004 (age 19) | Benab |
| 3MF | Abass Samari Salifu | (2004-07-02) 2 July 2004 (age 20) | Accra Lions |
| 3MF | Seidu Saraj | (2001-01-29) 29 January 2001 (age 23) | Accra Hearts of Oak |
| 3MF | Simba Sylvester | (2001-07-29) 29 July 2001 (age 23) | Dreams |
| 4FW | Yusub Abdul Razak | (2001-12-02) 2 December 2001 (age 22) | Accra Great Olympics |
| 4FW | Felix Afena-Gyan | (2003-01-19) 19 January 2003 (age 21) | Cremonese |
| 4FW | Daniel Afriyie | (2001-06-26) 26 June 2001 (age 23) | Zürich |
| 4FW | Emmanuel Appau | (2002-05-04) 4 May 2002 (age 22) | Bibiani Gold Stars |
| 4FW | Issahaku Fatawu | (2004-03-08) 8 March 2004 (age 20) | Sporting CP |
| 4FW | Zubairu Ibrahim | (2004-06-02) 2 June 2004 (age 20) | Jedinstvo |
| 4FW | Dede Ishmael | (2001-12-10) 10 December 2001 (age 22) | Dreams |
| 4FW | Ernest Nuamah | (2003-11-01) 1 November 2003 (age 20) | Nordsjælland |
| 4FW | Emmanuel Yeboah | (2003-02-25) 25 February 2003 (age 21) | Cluj |

## Previous squads
### African Games

* 2011 All-Africa Games – squad
Africa U-23 Cup of Nations
* 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations – squads

## Competitive record
### Olympic Games

Summer Olympics record :
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA |
| 1896 | No football tournament | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1900 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1904 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1908 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1912 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1920 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1924 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1928 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1932 | No football tournament | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1936 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1948 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1952 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1956 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1960 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1964 | Quarter-finals | - | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 |
| 1968 | Round 1 | - | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| 1972 | Round 1 | - | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
| 1976 | Withdrew | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1980 | Withdrew After Qualifying | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1984 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1988 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1992 | Third place | 3 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 6 |
| 1996 | Quarter-finals | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| 2000 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2004 | Round 1 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| 2008 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2012 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2016 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2020 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2024 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total | Third place | 6/27 | 22 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 31 | 44 |
Note: Football at the Summer Olympics has been an under-23 tournament since 1992.

### African Games

African Games record :
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA |
| 1965 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1969 | No football tournament | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1973 | Semi-finals | - | 3 | | | | | |
| 1978 | Third place | 3 | 3 | | | | | |
| 1987 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1991 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1995 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1999 | Did Not Participate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2003 | Third place | 3 | 3 | | | | | |
| 2007 | Round 1 | - | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 2011 | Champions | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Total | 5/10 | 1 Titles | 16 | | | | | |
Note: Football at the All-Africa Games has been an under-23 tournament since 1991.