Stephen Appiah’s injuries cost Ghana titles – Derek Boateng

Former Black Stars midfielder Derek Boateng believes injuries played a decisive role in denying Ghana major silverware during Stephen Appiah’s time as captain.Boateng said the national team consistently performed at its highest level whenever Appiah was fully fit, describing the former Juventus midfielder as central to both structure and leadership.According to him, Appiah’s influence went beyond tactics, shaping the mentality of the squad during Ghana’s strongest competitive years.However, Boateng pointed to a serious knee injury that sidelined Appiah for an extended period as a turning point.Speaking in an interview with Sporty FM, Boateng said Ghana paid a heavy price despite frequent appearances in the latter stages of competitions.“As we went to about two or three finals, semifinals thereabouts, I feel like if not for Stephen Appiah’s injuries, he could have led us to win a trophy,” he said.“But the injury came so early, at his peak. And when you start having knee injuries, it means your career is going down,” he noted.Reflecting on Appiah’s leadership, Boateng highlighted his example-driven approach.“Stephen would never ask a young player to do anything he wouldn’t do himself,” he said, praising his work ethic and authority.