Former Black Stars striker Prince Tagoe has identified complacency as the bane of the current crop of players.

Speaking on Angel TV, Prince Tagoe observed that while the majority of the players are heavily talented, they have been hyped to a level they are yet to reach.

He noted that the hype, which he reckons comes from Ghanaians, has made the players swollen-headed and thus affected their performance for the Black Stars.

Prince Tagoe pointed out that the difference between the current crop of Black Stars players and those of his generation is that his batch aimed higher and were always determined to play and excel for Ghana.

Touching on the game against Mali, Prince Tagoe urged the players to approach the game with the mentality of winning.

"If you watch and follow the players, they are very good, but the zeal to win is not there. Their attitude and approach to some games are problematic. I'm hoping and praying that they will go into the match with a winning mentality.

"Some of the players have shown promise, but the way we hype them is problematic. They have not arrived yet. I won't exclude anyone. We have to demand more from them instead of always praising them.

"We were successful in our time because we were inspired by the likes of Appiah and Essien and wanted to reach their level. There are good players, but their attitude and zeal to play are big headaches," he said.

The Black Stars will face Mali at the Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako, with the game set for a 19:00 GMT kickoff.

A win for Ghana would send them to second place on the table, as they currently sit fifth with one win and one defeat from two games.

Conversely, a defeat would put a significant dent in the country's chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Meanwhile, Mali is second in the group with four points from two games. Therefore, a win would keep their World Cup campaign on course.