Ghana
Rank: 38
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Did you know? Pastor Ezekiel has predicted Ghana will suffer humiliating defeats in all their group matches at the World Cup if they don't pay $60,000 for the spiritual services he provided for the Black Stars to qualify.
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Coming within a kick of creating history at the last World Cup will be the spur for Ghana as they seek to break new ground in Brazil this year.
The Black Stars squandered a last minute penalty in extra time of their quarterfinal tie against Uruguay in Johannesburg four years ago to miss becoming the first African side to reach the final four at a World Cup tournament and have been haunted by the failure ever since.
Coach Kwesi Appiah has repeatedly suggested in the run-up to the tournament that Ghana will make the semifinals this time around, despite the difficult group.
The confidence also stems from a proficient qualifying campaign where Ghana edged out 2012 African champions Zambia to win their group and then thrashed Egypt in the two-legged play-off.
Their prospects have been bolstered by a return to the fold of Michael Essien and Kevin-Prince Boateng, both of whom had put their international careers on hold in 2011.
Pledging themselves once again to the Ghana cause late last year, when World Cup qualification looked imminent, could lead to cynical suggestions of expediency but they have been warmly welcomed on their return.
Essien played a monstrous midfield role against Egypt, which proved a major surprise given a paucity of game time at club level in recent seasons for the injury-hampered star.
Influential players like Gyan, who has scored 39 goals for his country, Kwadwo Asamoah, Sulley Muntari and Dede Ayew all return from the 2010 squad.
STRENGTH
Midfield
There are few better midfields in the world than Ghana's as the Black Stars can call on veterans Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari as well as players hitting their prime like Andre Ayew, Kwadwo Asamoah and Kevin-Prince Boateng.
WEAKNESS
The back
Ghana do struggle at the back, however, with a lack of quality in goal and defence.
Fatau Dauda was first choice keeper in the qualifiers but has lost his place because of a lack of game time at club level. In defence the successors to John Mensah and Isaac Vorsah come with little of the quality the centre back paring provided at past tournaments.
ONE TO WATCH
Kwadwo Asamoah
If the last World Cup holds only memories of heartbreak for Ghana's Kwadwo Asamoah, this time round he is stronger, wiser and could be the key player if the Black Stars are to make good on their frustrated ambitions.
The versatile midfielder, nicknamed Kojo, has moved to Italian club Juventus and has been in great form this season as Juve pushed for a third successive Serie A title.
The Accra-born Asamoah is already a veteran international at the age of 25, having made his debut at 17 in 2006.
For Juventus, he has dropped back to play at left-back, though he still pushes forward to score goals -- a stunning strike against Fiorentina in March being a fine example.
He plays in a more central role for Ghana, linking the midfield and attack, and has grown into the team's mastermind. He is aware that if Ghana are to banish the memory of 2010, a lot of it will be down to him.
Coach: Kwesi Appiah
Kwesi Appiah will be one of two African coaches at the World Cup in Brazil but unlike his Nigerian counterpart Stephen Keshi, the Ghanaian has little profile outside his own country.
A former international fullback, the 53-year-old Appiah has made his way through the coaching ranks at the Ghana Football Association after serving as an assistant and twice as caretaker coach, was given the job on a full-time basis in 2012.
Appiah is a poster boy for African coaches, amid a growing consensus that they need to be given more opportunity at the helm of African national teams as opposed to the hiring of expensive foreigners.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Fatau Dauda (Orlando Pirates), Adam Kwarasey (Stromsgodset), Stephen Adams (Aduana Stars)
Defenders: Samuel Inkoom (Platanias), Daniel Opare (Standard Liege), Harrison Afful (Esperance), John Boye (Rennes), Jonathan Mensah (Evian), Rashid Sumalia (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Midfielders: Michael Essien (AC Milan), Sulley Muntari (AC Milan), Rabiu Mohammed (Kuban Krasnodar), Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus), Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese), Afriyie Acquah (Parma), Christian Atsu (Vitesse), Albert Adomah (Middlesbrough), Andre Ayew (Marseille), Mubarak Wakaso (Rubin Kazan)
Strikers: Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain), Kevin-Prince Boateng (Schalke 04), Abdul Majeed Waris (Valenciennes), Jordan Ayew (Sochaux)
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