Jordan Ayew reflects on ‘unexplainable’ Ghana 2022 World Cup exit

Ghana captain Jordan Ayew has characterized the Black Stars’ 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign in Qatar as an unpredictable and unexplainable journey, lamenting the team’s narrow misses despite their best efforts.  

Speaking to FIFA, the 34-year-old forward revisited the dramatic group stage matches from four years ago, highlighting the fine margins that led to their ultimate elimination.

“The 2022 World Cup, we were unlucky,” Ayew explained. “First game against Portugal, we lost. Second game against Korea, we won. Third game against Uruguay, we lost. We could have gotten a result, but football sometimes you just can’t explain it.”

The tournament was defined by high-scoring drama for the West African giants.

Ghana opened with a contentious 3-2 defeat to Portugal, bounced back with a thrilling 3-2 victory over South Korea, but ultimately bowed out following a painful 2-0 loss to longtime rivals Uruguay in their final Group H match.

Ayew, who is currently spearheading Ghana’s frontline at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, suggested that those unexplainable football moments served as a vital learning curve for the squad.

Now leading as the substantive captain, Ayew is applying the hard lessons of 2022 to keep his team focused.

The Black Stars have enjoyed a strong start in Group L, securing a 1-0 victory over Panama and a gritty 0-0 draw against England.