CAF U-17 AFCON: We don’t talk much but we know how each other moves – Ghana’s Kpoeti twins

Twin brothers Jacob Kofi Etse Kpoeti and Esau Kofi Atsu Kpoeti have become one of the most fascinating stories at the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026, playing side by side in central defence for Ghana’s Black Starlets.

Jacob and Esau have discussed their decision-making and understanding on the pitch.

While Jacob always played in defence, Esau originally operated as a winger before a crucial positional change transformed their football story. “I was not a defender. Jacob was a defender but I was a winger. Our coach at WAFA, Coach Saddick, turned me into a defender and we have been playing together since,” Esau revealed.

The decision may prove one of the smartest positional switches in Ghanaian youth football. Today, the twins operate with a natural understanding that often appears instinctive, with many observers noticing how one defender covers space almost before the other reacts during matches.

“It is because we have played together at WAFA in the same position. So we understand each other. My brother is the quiet type but I understand his movements,” Jacob explained.

Esau agrees with his brother’s assessment. “We don’t talk much on the field but we know how each other moves. If an opponent attacker beats my brother, it hurts me, and the same too when it is me. So we always fight hard,” he said.