Football is a game of communication. Players shout for the ball, call out instructions, warn teammates of approaching danger and celebrate goals together.
Communication is constant, often happening in seconds, as players work to outthink their opponents and find a way to win.
For Ghana’s deaf footballers, however, the game takes a different form.
A hand signal can call for a pass. A glance can change the direction of an attack. Players must read movements, remain alert to their surroundings and rely on their awareness and understanding of one another to keep the game flowing.
“Our communication depends on our eyes,” Richard Ofori, a forward said in a JoySports documentary by Haruna Mubarak titled “Silent Football: When Passion speaks without words.
“As I am playing, I look left, right and behind me. I look far ahead of me. Sometimes I even call on my friends to move a bit further so that I can pass the ball to them, depending on what is happening on the pitch.”
These are the men behind the Black Wonders, Ghana’s deaf football team, whose story is about more than the challenges of playing the game. It is also about achievement, national pride, financial hardship and a dream that refuses to die.
Success without sufficient support
Over the years, the Black Wonders have built a record of achievement, winning silver at the African level and gold in West Africa.
Their successes demonstrate that Ghana’s deaf footballers can compete and win on different stages.
They have represented the country with distinction, showing the ability and determination required to pursue their ambitions in the sport.
For the Black Wonders, that question became particularly painful during the 2023 Deaf World Cup in Malaysia.
The tournament offered an opportunity to compete internationally and carry Ghana’s hopes onto the world stage. Instead, the campaign descended into chaos, leaving players and officials far from home and pleading for help.
Ghana exited the competition early, but the consequences of the trip did not end with the final whistle.
A debt of $24,000 relating to hotel accommodation remains unresolved. Three years after the tournament, the outstanding amount continues to hang over the team as it looks towards another international challenge.
Another dream on the horizon
The disappointment of Malaysia has not ended the Black Wonders’ ambitions.
Australia is scheduled to host the Deaf World Football Championships in 2027.
Before the team can reach that stage, however, it must navigate qualification matches in Ethiopia later this year.
The road to Australia begins with the challenge of securing a place at the tournament while preparing for another demanding international campaign.
President of the Ghana Deaf Football Federation, Christopher Ekpo believes the team has the ability to make an impression if it receives the necessary backing.
“I have confidence that in the whole of Africa, we are second. At the world level, we are number 14. But we are confident that when we get all the needed support, we’ll be able to do well.”
Patroness for the Deaf Football Federation, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings also called for support from government ahead of the qualifiers.
“With no disrespect to Black Stars, I think if a fraction of what was given to the Black Stars was actually channeled towards the Ghana Deaf football team, we’d be amazed by what they would do for Ghana,” she said in the documentary.
For Ghana’s deaf footballers, Australia 2027 represents another chance to show what they can achieve.
The dream remains alive, but the question is whether the support will come in time.
The Black Wonders have already shown that they can win on the pitch.
Now they need the backing to ensure that financial difficulties do not stand between them and another opportunity to represent Ghana.