Former Black Stars captain, Stephen Appiah, has revealed that he considered himself fortunate to have been selected for the Black Stars team for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Appiah, who had been sidelined for several months due to an injury, expressed gratitude at being included in the squad despite missing the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola earlier that year.
Coach Milovan Rajevac's decision to include the ex-Juventus midfielder in the team raised questions about his fitness and readiness for the competition.
However, Appiah attributed his inclusion to the injury of Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, which created an opportunity for him to secure a spot in the squad.
Reflecting on his selection, Appiah acknowledged the role of luck.
“In 2010, I was lucky to be part of the team. If Agyemang-Badu was okay, maybe I wouldn’t have been part of the 2010 World Cup which would have been difficult,” Appiah told 3 Sports.
Ghana went on to make history by becoming one of only five African teams to reach the quarterfinal by then.