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African Football HQ: Can Ghana U-20s avoid the pitfalls of the past?

Ghana were victorious in the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations earlier this month, defeating Uganda in the final to win their fourth title.

Their latest success comes on the back of previous triumphs in 1993, 1999 and 2009, while they were also defeated finalists in 2001 and 2013.

However, that success at youth level is yet to translate to senior level—Ghana haven’t won the Nations Cup since 1982—while some of the stars of those successes haven’t build careers at the top of the sport.

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Michael Essien, the standout performer at the 2001 tournament, was one gleaming exception, as he transitioned from that run to the final to enjoy great success in Europe, notably with Chelsea.