The re-emergence of 'Agroball': Ghana's youth teams embracing a distinct football identity

Despite the scoreline suggesting a comfortable triumph, Kingston insisted that his team failed to dominate the game as convincingly as he had hoped. 

The former Ghana international demanded more from his young charges, emphasising that such a substantial winning margin should have been accompanied by a more commanding overall performance. 

Kingston's uncompromising approach highlights his staunch will to excel and his determination to instil a winning mentality from an early age.

It’s not so surprising to see Kingston take this posture after a convincing victory. For the former Right to Dream coach, the style and process in games is equally as important as the results.

For Kingston, he draws a lot of inspiration from ‘Agroball’ and always references that when talking about his football identity.

What is ‘Agroball’?

Before the WAFU Zone-B Championship, Kingston shared his vision with the media, revealing a connection to Ghana's rich footballing heritage. "Ghanaian football has flourished in the past with the mesmerising 'agro' style, and you'll see elements of that embodied in my team," he said.

"I want everyone watching from afar to witness a defined identity from my team, and the agro is something you'll undoubtedly appreciate when you observe them in action," Kingston added, his words brimming with anticipation.

'Agroball,' as it's affectionately known, traces its roots back to Ghana before the 1960s. In those days, football was viewed as a form of entertainment, and 'agro' means 'fun' in the melodic Akan dialect, encapsulating the joyful essence of the game.

By 1978, Ghana had made history becoming the first nation to claim three Africa Cup of Nations trophies, earning the right to permanently keep the coveted trophy. The West African country was hailed as a powerhouse, their confident and skilful play style – a seamless blend of artistry and efficiency – allowed them to brush aside opponents with ease.

A significant part of Ghanaian football culture is cultivated from the humble beginnings of small, makeshift pitches. A quick glance into the vibrant communities reveals children setting up makeshift goals with stones, playing five-a-side football with boundless energy and enthusiasm.

Due to the close proximity of these small-sided games, players learn to be exceptionally comfortable on the ball from a tender age, developing a level of technical mastery that becomes ingrained in their understanding of the game.

The ability to make judicious use of space and wield the ball with skill and creativity are the fundamental tenets of 'Agroball.' This philosophy is the reason why many of Ghana's greatest players have been midfielders – artists who fearlessly embrace possession and dictate the rhythm of the game.

Legends like Abedi Pele, Karim Abdul Razak, Michael Essien, Stephen Appiah, Mohammed Polo, Sulley Muntari, Mohammed Kudus, and Kingston himself knew how to entertain the crowd with the captivating essence of 'Agroball'.

In 2018, when Charles Akonnor joined Asante Kotoko as head coach, he eloquently defined 'Agroball' as: "keeping the ball on the ground, playing with flair, and making sure that even as we entertain the crowd, we remain efficient in front of goal; to be creative and, of course, we would do this in tandem with the fans. We want them to be part of our journey. If the going gets tough, we want them to lift us up with their roars of encouragement."

Is 'Agroball' the future of Ghana football?

Although 'Agroball' has been closely associated with Ghana's football philosophy over the years, there was no official documentation to support this claim – until recently. In 2023, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) launched the National Football Philosophy document, a comprehensive blueprint that encapsulates the country's football DNA.

The technical directorate acknowledged 'Agroball' as the signature style of play that defined Ghana's football identity in previous years. However, to evolve this philosophy, Ghana now seeks to embrace possession-based football, intertwined with creativity and the freedom for players to express themselves.

Ghana's new football identity is heavily reliant on dominance – winning the midfield battle through creating numerical overloads or ensuring that players possess superior individual abilities to outshine their opponents in one-on-one situations. Understanding space, time, and being technically secure are the attributes that every Ghanaian midfielder must cultivate.

In recent times, Ghana's football development has placed a greater emphasis on building athletic players with endurance and strength, sometimes at the expense of technical proficiency. The modernised version of 'Agroball' aims to strike a balance between athleticism and technique. 

The ideal midfielder under Ghana's new football DNA will embody the qualities of a player like Thomas Partey. At the peak of his powers, the Arsenal midfielder was a formidable blend of strength, pace, and exceptional ball control and manipulation.

The implementation of this new philosophy is already underway, with Ghana's U17 and U20 teams serving as the vanguards for the new 'Agroball' approach. The U20 side, under the guidance of Desmond Ofei, dominated every game on their way to clinching gold at the 2023 African Games.

Ahead of the final, Ofei re-emphasised the need for his team to entertain the crowd, stating: "We had to work really hard to get to the final, but a final is a final. We've done all our homework, and the final will be an exciting spectacle for everybody, especially the fans."

"For us to entertain, we have to keep control of the ball and dictate the tempo of the game. That's our DNA – we have to control possession and build up patiently instead of relying on long balls to find space," he told the press.

Ofei's team seamlessly switched between three-at-the-back and four-at-the-back systems, exploiting their numerical advantage to outmanoeuvre opponents.

The same approach to games is also being deployed with the U17 side under Laryea Kingston. The team is set up to play out from the back, dominate possession, assert their superiority over the opposition, and entertain fans while scoring goals.

The match against Ivory Coast in the WAFU Zone B Championship represented, to some extent, the essence of the new Ghana football DNA. The sparks of brilliance, the patience to move the ball around, the skill, the quality of goals, and the willingness to press highlighted that the team is heading in the right direction.

Recently, the technical directorate of the GFA created four new developmental national teams for boys and five for girls. Hence, there will be teams for boys aged U16, U18, U19, and U21, and for girls aged U16, U18, U19, U21, and U23. 

This is expected to complement the already existing oversees U17 and U20 teams for girls, and U17, U20, and U23 teams for boy. Moreover, there’ll now be U-15 teams for both males and females, serving as feeder teams for the U17 categories.

These newly established national teams, spanning various age groups, will serve a developmental purpose, nurturing talent for the competitive national teams. This approach aims to facilitate smooth transitions of players from one age group to the next, ensuring that no talent is overlooked at the national level. Furthermore, players are expected to remain active instead of waiting for months between tournaments.

The overarching goal is to see Ghana implement the new 'Agroball' system through these youth teams, eventually permeating to the senior national team.

'Agroball' is here to stay, and the next time you encounter the term, keep in mind three key principles: winning the game, winning through dominance, and asserting control through midfield superiority.