Former Black Stars assistant coach George Boateng has described his time with the Ghana national team as a profound honour, citing a deep personal connection to the country despite never representing it as a player.

Boateng, a former Aston Villa U-23 head coach, was appointed to the Black Stars’ technical team under head coach Otto Addo ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff against Nigeria. Following Ghana’s successful qualification, he and fellow assistant Didi Dramani were retained as part of the technical setup for the World Cup in Qatar.

Born in Ghana but capped at international level by the Netherlands, Boateng said the opportunity to serve the Black Stars carried special significance.

“I always feel I owe Ghana something because I could not play for them, and so when I had the opportunity to work as an assistant coach, I was honoured,” he told Premier League Production.

Despite the pride of serving the national team, Boateng acknowledged disappointment over Ghana’s early exits at both the Qatar World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.

“I worked with Otto Addo and Chris Hughton, but it was disappointing that we could not qualify from the group phase of the World Cup and the AFCON. Working for Ghana was an honour,” he added.

George Boateng exited his role with the Black Stars following Ghana’s campaign at the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast.