Ex Ghana Star Opens Up on How ‘Juju’ Denied Black Starlets FIFA U17 World Cup Trophy

• A former youth star has opened up about how Ghana missed out on winning the FIFA U17 World Cup in 1997
• According to the retired footballer, the country lost the final against Brazil due to spiritual reasons
• Prior to losing the 1997 U17 World Cup final, Ghana had won the title twice, in 1991 and 1995

Former Ghana U17 standout Johnson Eklu has revealed an intriguing premonition he had before the Black Starlets’ loss in the 1997 FIFA U17 World Cup final.

The ex-player, pivotal during the tournament, attributed the team’s defeat to supernatural interference, commonly referred to as "juju" in local parlance.

Ghana loses U17 final to Brazil

Ghana, a dominant force in youth football at the time, had clinched the trophy twice and was poised for a third triumph in 1997.

However, their aspirations were dashed in the final against Brazil, where goals from Matuzalém and Andrey eclipsed Owusu Afriyie’s first-half strike, sealed a 2-1 victory for the South Americans, per FIFA.

Read also

Argentina Star Accuses Di Maria of 'Cheating' During World Cup Final Against France, Video

How 'juju' cost Ghana in the 1997 final

Revisiting the match nearly three decades later, Eklu disclosed a conversation with then-head coach Emmanuel Kwasi Afranie, who had foreseen their defeat.

According to the late tactician, spiritual sabotage orchestrated by certain football stakeholders had doomed their chances even before the first whistle.

“Coach Afranie secretly told me that Brazil would beat us. He mentioned that some football leaders and coaches had used 'juju' to sabotage the team," Eklu shared, as reported by Ghanaweb.

"He shared this information with me, and it turned out to be true after our loss to Brazil in the final,” he added.

Did Johnson Eklu play in the final?

Johnson, who had made his mark by scoring Ghana’s opening goal of the tournament against Bahrain, was notably absent in the decisive encounter.

A red card received during the quarter-finals against Oman ruled him out, denying the Starlets a player who had been integral to their run.

Read also

"I was angry": Mbappe opens up about his relationship with Lionel Messi

Ghana's football history and juju

Eklu’s insights bring a fascinating angle to Ghana’s storied history in youth football, where tales of mysticism often intertwine with on-pitch achievements.

Essien and Nordsjaelland team visit Ghana

In a related story, Briefly News reported that legendary midfielder Michael Essien, players and staff from Danish club Nordsjaelland, are in Ghana for a cultural exchange program.

The visit highlights the strong connection between Nordsjaelland and Ghana through the Right to Dream Academy, a feeder club for the Superliga side.

Source: YEN.com.gh