A former Ghana defender, Frimpong Manso has claimed that Ghana’s dominance at the youth level in the early 90’s was as a result age cheating.

Between 1990-2000, Ghana’s U-17 team, The Black Starlets twice won the FIFA World Cup at that level (in 1991 and 1995).

They were also in the final in 1993 and 1997.

Speaking to Happy FM on why Ghana had struggled to replicate the success stories of the past in recent times, Frimpong Manso who is also a legend of local club side Asante Kotoko said, “In the olden days, we used over-aged players for the U-17 competitions and we are now suffering in the long run. Back then there was no MRI to check the real age of players so we used over-aged players”.

“We don’t get time for the youth side and our obsession of always wanting to win is a problem,” Frimpong Manso further revealed.

Ghana’s only recent success at the Youth level was in 2009, when the Black Satellites conquered Africa and the World to become the only African team at that level to achieve that feat.

At the U-17 level, the Black Starlets have been pale shadows of their former self.