President John Dramani Mahama has expressed optimism about the future of the national football team, the Black Stars, saying the current squad has the potential to achieve greater success if it is maintained and given full support.

Speaking during an inspection of the Ho Sports Stadium, President Mahama said the Black Stars had exceeded expectations at the recent tournament despite widespread predictions that the team would not advance beyond the group stage.

“We also need to start preparing for the next World Cup. The Black Stars did well; nobody gave them a chance. People predicted that they would crash out at the Group stage, but they managed to get into the Round of 32,” he said.

The President stressed that retaining the current squad and ensuring continuity in the technical team would be key to building a stronger side capable of competing for major honours, including the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the FIFA World Cup.

“I am sure that if we keep this team and we persuade the coach to continue to work with the team, by the time of the next AFCON and World Cup, we will have a team that can claim the championship in any of those two competitions,” he said.

President Mahama also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to investing in sports infrastructure to support the growth and development of sports across the country.