Former Black Stars defender Sammy Kuffuor has spoken about the state of grassroots football in Ghana, and the danger ahead if things do not change.
He believes the country may soon struggle to find young football talents.
Kuffuor said the problem is not just about the past, but the future.
“It’s not about what we have lost, but what we are about to lose,” he said.
He warned that a time could come when children will no longer be playing football in their communities.
In the past, many young boys played football freely. They used open fields, school compounds, and even streets. There was no cost.
Anyone with passion could join and play. This helped Ghana produce great players who later played for the national team.
Now, the situation is different. Many of those open spaces are no longer available. Some have been built on, while others have been turned into private football pitches.
These pitches, especially astroturf, often require payment before use.
Kuffuor is not happy with this change. He believes too much focus is being placed on astroturf pitches.
“Making more pitches is not astroturf for me. It’s too hot,” he said. He also pointed out that many places in Europe are moving away from astroturf.
Another issue he raised is the cost. According to him, many families cannot afford to pay for their children to train on these pitches or join football academies.
He used his own life as an example. He explained that his mother would not have been able to pay for such things when he was growing up.
“How can my mother… pay money for me to go and play football? It would not be possible,” he said.
This, he believes, will stop many talented children from playing the game.
Kuffuor’s comments, made in an interview with 3Sports, have raised concern about the future of football in Ghana.
