Former Black Stars team manager, Kojo Bonsu, has shed light on how a feud between Tony Yeboah and Abedi Pele over the captaincy contributed to Ghana’s devastating 6-1 defeat against Germany in a friendly match back in 1993.
Recalling the events in an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb, Kojo Bonsu revealed that the dressing room was marred by confusion, which ultimately affected the team’s performance in the second half.
Despite taking the lead in the first half through Prince Polley’s goal, Ghana crumbled in the second half as Germany scored six goals.
According to Kojo Bonsu, the dispute over the captaincy played a part in the team’s shambolic performance.
Initially, Abedi Pele, who was the captain of the Black Stars at the time, had withdrawn from the squad for the match against Germany.
Consequently, the coach decided to appoint Tony Yeboah, who was next in line and fluent in German, as the captain.
However, just hours before the match, Abedi Pele made a U-turn and arrived at the team’s camp, ready to play.
Chaos ensued when Abedi Pele learned that Tony Yeboah had been given the captain’s armband.
The former Marseille player believed that there was a conspiracy to strip him of the captaincy, especially considering the events that unfolded during the 1992 AFCON in Senegal.
The clash between Tony Yeboah and Abedi Pele over the captaincy affected team morale and cohesion, leading to a disastrous second-half performance against Germany.
The defeat remains one of Ghana’s worst halves in a football match.