National U-15 Boys head coach Salifu Fatawu believes Ghana football has a promising future following the Black Comets’ impressive seventh-place finish at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Azerbaijan.
Ghana finished among the top seven teams out of 189 participating nations after winning eight of their ten matches, scoring 44 goals and gaining valuable international experience against opposition from different footballing backgrounds.
“I believe this group of boys have a future, and Ghana football itself has a future with this kind of young talent that we have,” Fatawu stated after the competition, expressing confidence in the potential of his squad and the benefits of exposing young players to international football at an early age.
The Ghanaian youngsters concluded their campaign on a high, defeating Colombia 4-0 in their final classification match after suffering a heavy 7-1 defeat to Brazil in the Tier A ranking play-offs for positions fifth to eighth.
Subsequently, the result against Colombia secured seventh place for Ghana in the overall standings, capping an encouraging campaign for a team that had initially set its sights on winning the competition.
Fatawu Impressed With Players’ Resilience
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Fatawu expressed satisfaction with how his players handled the demands of the competition, particularly considering the preparation they received before travelling to Azerbaijan. “Well, considering the preparation we had in Ghana before coming to Azerbaijan for this competition, I would say I’m very excited and happy with the performance of the boys,” he stated.
The coach admitted that the intensity of the tournament presented a significant challenge but praised the youngsters for adapting to the demands of playing several international matches within a short period.
“It wasn’t easy. Looking at the nature of the tournament, the intensity aspect of the games we play, and the boys are able to cope up with that and placing Ghana 7th in the competition, I think that they’ve done well.”
Salifu Fatawu, Black Comets head coach
Ghana began their campaign with five consecutive victories in Group W, collecting 15 points after defeating Uzbekistan, Myanmar, Guam, the Bahamas and Kazakhstan.
Also, they overcame Korea Republic 2-1 and Mexico 5-2 in the round of 32 and round of 16 respectively before their quarter-final campaign ended in heartbreak against Paraguay, who progressed after a 7-6 penalty shootout victory following a 2-2 draw.
The Black Comets later suffered against Brazil but recovered emphatically against Colombia to finish with eight victories from ten outings.
Coach Thanks GFA, Ghanaians and Media
Fatawu also acknowledged the support received from the Ghana Football Association throughout the team’s preparations and participation in Azerbaijan.
Furthermore, he expressed gratitude to Ghanaians and media organisations for their encouragement, noting that the support from home motivated the players to give their best.
“On behalf of my colleagues, the technical team and the playing body, I want to thank Ghanaians for the support and encouragement during this competition. The prayers, the encouragement they gave us actually helped us during this competition. I want to also thank the media houses for the support and reports they give out there. I think it really helped us in also giving our best for the nation.”
Salifu Fatawu, Black Comet head coach
He urged the GFA to maintain its support for the youth national teams, expressing confidence that sustained investment and encouragement would produce positive results across Ghana’s national-team structures.
The coach’s message comes as the Black Comets return from Azerbaijan with a seventh-place finish, an impressive attacking record and, more importantly, international experience that could shape the next stage of their footballing development.
Early Exposure Key to Ghana’s Football Future
Fatawu believes the experience gained in Azerbaijan could prove instrumental in preparing the players for future assignments with Ghana’s U-17 and U-20 national teams.
He particularly highlighted FIFA’s initiative in creating an international platform that allows young footballers from different countries to compete and develop at an early stage of their careers. “I’m sure before they get to 17 and 20, they’ll be prepared and ready for competitions like this,” the coach remarked.
The FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival is part of the governing body’s Talent Development Scheme, introduced to widen access to international competition and provide young players with meaningful exposure beyond their domestic football environments.
The inaugural boys’ edition, held in Baku from October 24 to 30, brought together 189 FIFA member associations and more than 3,000 players, coaches and officials.
Its innovative format featured eight-a-side football, two 20-minute halves, smaller pitches and rolling substitutions, with teams competing across six performance tiers following the initial qualification phase.
Unlike conventional youth tournaments, the structure ensured that every participating team continued playing until the final day, regardless of its results in the earlier stages.
FIFA has scheduled the girls’ edition for 2027, with separate boys’ and girls’ competitions planned annually from 2028.
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