Andre Ayew: Why many players from 2009 U20 team enjoyed success with Black Stars

Ayew was an integral part of the Black Satellites side that went unbeaten throughout the tournament in Egypt as they emerged champions.

The West Africans, led by Coach Sellas Tetteh, conquered all before them and defeated Brazil in the final.

Despite being reduced to 10 men early in the game, Ghana held to win against the South American heavyweights on penalties to lift the trophy for the first time.

Ayew, who was the captain of Ghana’s history-making U20 team, still has fond memories of lifting the trophy 14 years ago.

And he believes the unity in that team, coupled with the success they enjoyed with the Black Satellites, made their settlement in the Black Stars easier.

“What many people forget is that before the World Cup in South Africa, there was the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola, where we went all the way to the final,” Ayew told FIFA Media.

“We ended up losing in the dying minutes to Egypt with nine of the victorious players from the U-20 World Cup three months earlier. We were on the verge of achieving a historic double.”

He added: “The fact that we were so united at the U-20 World Cup helped us tremendously. We knew each other and that showed at the World Cup in South Africa. We were playing at home, so to speak, in our continent, so we could not disappoint.

“We were ready and had more full internationals under our belt, so it was no surprise that we made it all the way to the quarters. We could have gone further, but it’s part of our history now.”

Ghana remains the first, and so far only, team from Africa to have won the U20 World Cup. Ayew, though, is currently the captain of the senior national team, the Black Stars.