Kwesi Appiah has shared how he motivated the Sudan national football team to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) despite the challenges posed by civil unrest.
Under his leadership, Sudan overcame significant adversity, including playing all their qualifiers away from home due to the ongoing civil war, to secure a historic spot in the tournament.
Appiah, who captained Ghana and coached the Black Stars at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, revealed the emotional toll the conflict took on the team.
“It was a really difficult situation. Sometimes, while we were in camp, players would lose family members, and we all had to console them,” he said.
Despite the hardships, Appiah motivated his players by reminding them they had the power to bring joy to Sudanese people suffering from the war.
“I told them to put their struggles behind them, fight on, and represent their country with pride,” he added.
Sudan now looks ahead to the AFCON in Morocco, ready to make an impact under Appiah’s inspiring leadership.