Ghanaian international Joseph Paintsil has admitted that the Black Stars were caught off guard by the improved performances of several teams during their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign.

The Black Stars endured a historic setback, failing to qualify for the tournament for the first time in 21 years.

A winless six-game run left Ghana at the bottom of Group F with only three points, as Angola and Sudan claimed the top two spots and secured their tickets to the tournament in Morocco.

Reflecting on the campaign, Paintsil, currently in Ghana on holiday, acknowledged the growing competitiveness of African football.

“It’s a difficult situation now, and everybody’s playing in Europe. So, you cannot say, ‘This team is bad. This national team is bad.’ The more you think that, the more they surprise us.

“As you can see, we were surprised by a lot of teams. But you know, it happens. We just ask Ghanaians to always support us no matter what happens. We need to go through everything together.”

Coach Otto Addo, who oversaw the qualifiers, faces mounting pressure, with his future yet to be decided by the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

This marks Ghana’s first AFCON absence since 2004.