Ex Ghana Star Opens Up on How ‘Juju’ Denied Black Starlets FIFA U17 World Cup Trophy

• A former youth star has opened up about how Ghana missed out on winning the FIFA U17 World Cup in 1997
• According to the retired footballer, the country lost the final against Brazil due to spiritual reasons
• Prior to losing the 1997 U17 World Cup final, Ghana had won the title twice, in 1991 and 1995

Former Ghana U17 standout Johnson Eklu has revealed an intriguing premonition he had before the Black Starlets’ loss in the 1997 FIFA U17 World Cup final.

The ex-player, pivotal during the tournament, attributed the team’s defeat to supernatural interference, commonly referred to as "juju" in local parlance.

Ghana loses U17 final to Brazil

Ghana, a dominant force in youth football at the time, had clinched the trophy twice and was poised for a third triumph in 1997.

However, their aspirations were dashed in the final against Brazil, where goals from Matuzalém and Andrey eclipsed Owusu Afriyie’s first-half strike, sealed a 2-1 victory for the South Americans, per FIFA.

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How 'juju' cost Ghana in the 1997 final

Revisiting the match nearly three decades later, Eklu disclosed a conversation with then-head coach Emmanuel Kwasi Afranie, who had foreseen their defeat.

According to the late tactician, spiritual sabotage orchestrated by certain football stakeholders had doomed their chances even before the first whistle.

“Coach Afranie secretly told me that Brazil would beat us. He mentioned that some football leaders and coaches had used 'juju' to sabotage the team," Eklu shared, as reported by Ghanaweb.

"He shared this information with me, and it turned out to be true after our loss to Brazil in the final,” he added.

Did Johnson Eklu play in the final?

Johnson, who had made his mark by scoring Ghana’s opening goal of the tournament against Bahrain, was notably absent in the decisive encounter.

A red card received during the quarter-finals against Oman ruled him out, denying the Starlets a player who had been integral to their run.

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Ghana's football history and juju

Eklu’s insights bring a fascinating angle to Ghana’s storied history in youth football, where tales of mysticism often intertwine with on-pitch achievements.

All clubs in Ghana use juju, ex-GFA boss claims

In a related story, YEN.com.gh reported that former GFA President Alhaji Jawula revealed that all Ghanaian football clubs engage in black magic.

While many teams have publicly denied these claims, it is widely believed that such rituals are practised both in Ghana and globally.

The late Jawula shared a vivid account of witnessing authentic incantations performed by a team during his visit to South Korea.

Source: YEN.com.gh