Sammy Kuffour Shares Why Missing AFCON Glory With Ghana Still Hurts
- Sammy Kuffour has disclosed his inability to win the AFCON for Ghana as his biggest regret in football, despite his illustrious career
- The Bayern Munich icon featured in five AFCONs, with the Black Stars coming closest to winning the trophy in 1996
- Meanwhile, he has also named the club he strongly believes will reach the final of this year's Champions League
Samuel Osei Kuffour, one of Ghana’s greatest-ever defenders, has revealed his biggest career regret—never lifting the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with the Black Stars.
Despite a decorated club career, which saw him claim the UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich, the inability to conquer the continent remains a painful gap in his otherwise stellar legacy.
The AFCON dream that never materialised
Kuffour’s journey with the national team spanned over a decade, featuring in five AFCON tournaments between 1994 and 2002, per Transfermarkt.
Though he experienced several near misses, he never got the chance to end Ghana’s long-standing continental drought, which dates back to 1982.
Kuffour opens up on AFCON regret
Looking back, the 48-year-old defender shared just how much an AFCON triumph would have meant to him.
"Some of us, including me, never got the chance to win the AFCON," he lamented, as quoted by Ghanasoccernet.
"It kills me every day because there is nothing that I can show to my children. It’s a very difficult tournament to play because we know each other; the strength, the technique, and the understanding of the game is always the same."
Kuffour also addressed Jamie Carragher’s controversial remarks about AFCON.
The former Liverpool defender had downplayed the tournament’s importance, a stance Kuffour strongly opposed.
A career built on triumphs and heartbreaks
Kuffour’s footballing journey began on the international stage at just 13, when he helped Ghana win the 1991 FIFA U-17 World Championship.
Source: Getty Images
Three years later, he earned his first senior cap, marking the beginning of a remarkable international career.
Although he played a pivotal role in Ghana’s qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, his only appearance in the tournament ended in disappointment.
A costly error against eventual champions Italy in the group opener, a 0–2 defeat, saw him dropped for the remainder of the tournament as the Black Stars exited in the round of 16 against Brazil.
Club success and African greatness
While international silverware eluded him, Kuffour’s club career remains one of the most decorated in African football history.
His unwavering commitment and defensive brilliance made him a cornerstone of Bayern’s golden era, solidifying his status among Africa’s most accomplished footballers.
Kuffour names club to reach UCL final
In an earlier report, YEN.com.gh revealed that Sammy Kuffour has identified the club he believes is most likely to reach this season's UEFA Champions League final.
The 48-year-old, a Champions League winner in 2001, asserted that the team possesses the quality to make it to the grand finale.
Source: AFP
