Following Black Stars captain Andre Ayew’s heartfelt apologies for the team’s poor performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), well-known Ghanaian musician Sarkodie has shown his support for Ayew.

In a moving video message, Ayew expressed sorry for the team’s shortcomings and gave fans hope that they will overcome their setbacks.

In response, Sarkodie sent encouraging remarks on Instagram, praising Ayew’s efforts and recognising his commitment to the national squad.

“You love your country and we love and appreciate you, king,” Sarkodie wrote. “We can be in our feelings because of how attached we are when we see the flag, but trust me, we are grateful for your efforts.”

Ayew conveyed his anguish and dissatisfaction with the team’s AFCON performance in an emotive video message.

“These past days have been very difficult for every Ghanaian, every Ghanaian football fan, and myself,” he said. “I’d like to apologize for the results in the AFCON that we just exited. We know that we should have done better, that we should have gotten better results too.”

Taking full responsibility for the team’s performance, Ayew continued, “To the nation, as the captain of the squad, I take full responsibility for what happened on the pitch. For the playing body, we should have done better, we should have made sure that we bring results to our nation. In football, these are things that happen, these are things that make you stronger, and what doesn’t kill you makes you become a stronger person individually and collectively.”

Despite the setback, Ayew remained optimistic about the future of Ghanaian football. “We are Ghana, and everybody who knows me knows that I’m never going to give up, meaning we are never going to give up. We are going to rise and shine again. We are going to do that as a family.”

Given that Sarkodie has a history of backing Ghanaian athletes, it is not surprising that the rapper is standing behind Andre Ayew. Sarkodie supported the national squad during their AFCON campaign in 2019 by releasing the song “Black Stars”.

Many Ghanaians, who value the captain’s dedication to the national team, can be heard in the rapper’s encouraging message for Ayew. Even with the team’s recent setbacks, supporters still have faith in the Black Stars’ capacity to turn things around and succeed in upcoming tournaments.

The record for the most Black Stars appearances by a Ghanaian player is now held by Ayew, who plays for Le Havre in France.