Michael Essien still carries the pain of an unfulfilled dream—lifting the Africa Cup of Nations trophy with Ghana. As one of the greatest midfielders to ever don the Black Stars jersey, he was a key figure in the 2008 AFCON squad that came agonizingly close to glory on home soil.

In a candid conversation with Sporty FM, Essien reflected on that tournament, expressing his disappointment. “It still hurts. We were so unlucky in 2008. We got so close, but it just didn’t happen,” the former Chelsea star admitted.

Ghana had a golden opportunity to end their trophy drought, but fate had other plans. Essien, along with his talented teammates, pushed the Black Stars to the semifinals, only to see their dreams shattered. The pain was compounded in 2010 when they lost another final to Egypt.

Despite retiring from international football in 2012, Essien’s longing for AFCON glory remains. Since his departure, Ghana has only reached one final (2015), falling to Côte d’Ivoire in a heartbreaking penalty shootout.

The wait for AFCON success continues, but for Essien and his generation, the pain of 2008 will always linger.