Karim Zito has seen it all. From the dugouts of local clubs to leading Ghana’s U-20 team to continental glory, the veteran coach has spent decades shaping the country’s football talent. But today, as he watches Ghanaian football struggle, he can’t help but ask—where did it all go wrong?

In the past, Ghanaian football followed a natural progression. Young players grew through the ranks, seamlessly transitioning from the U-17s to the U-20s and, eventually, to the senior Black Stars. But according to Zito, that system is now in shambles.

“In my time, there was continuity,” he reflects. “Now, we dismantle teams after every competition and start scouting from scratch. How can we expect growth when we keep starting over?”

The consequences have been severe. While the Black Queens have made their return to WAFCON, the men’s side is in crisis. Consecutive early exits at AFCON have been followed by a historic failure to qualify for the 2025 edition—the first time in 20 years that Ghana will miss the tournament.

Zito points to a lack of structure in player development as the root cause. The Black Satellites’ triumphant U-20 AFCON squad in 2021 should have been the foundation for the future. Instead, many of those players have yet to break into the senior team.

“That’s our biggest problem—there is no consistency,” he says with frustration. “If a player features for the U-17s, he should move up, not be discarded.”

As Ghana faces an uncertain footballing future, one thing is clear: without a long-term plan to bridge the gap between youth success and senior progression, the nation’s football dreams will continue to fade.