Legendary Ghanaian footballer, Mohammed Ahmed Polo, has expressed deep concern over the decline of colts football in the country, asserting that it has led to a loss of Ghana’s footballing identity.
Polo, a key member of the 1978 African Cup of Nations-winning squad, believes the robust colts system of the past was instrumental in producing the talents that earned Ghana the moniker “Brazil of Africa.” This system, he contends, acted as a solid foundation for identifying and nurturing young players from across the nation.
“The base that was being followed is missing. That is the identity, and every nation has an identity,” Mohammed Polo lamented in an interview with Asempa FM. “We knew how to play because of that we were given the name Brazil of Africa, not because of anything else, but because of the similarity of our football.”
The former Black Stars attacker stressed the importance of building and developing a strong football brand. “The world is changing, and football is also changing. All you have to do is when you have a brand, you have to develop it to give it some sort of additional value,” he added.
Polo’s illustrious career saw him amass 54 caps for Ghana, scoring 20 goals. His insights into the game, coupled with his experience, lend weight to his concerns about the current state of Ghanaian football.