An Integral member of the famous Starlets 95 Squad that won the U17 World Cup in Ecuador, Baba Sule, has revealed that Head Coach Sam Ardey reposed a lot of confidence in him to help the team deliver at the 1995 World Cup in Ecuador.
He disclosed this on GTV sports+ as he discussed happenings of FIFA U-17 World Cup tournament during GBC/GTV sports+ Starlets 25th-anniversary celebration.
“I first played for GIHOC Babies colts club before joining Kumasi Cornerstones in division 2 and by dint of hard work I was able to help the club qualify to the then First Division.”
Baba Sule revealed that on arrival in camp on the first day, he was told he was the player to help win the Mundial in Ecuador.
“The best moment for me was when I arrived in camp for the first time, immediately the coach saw me I greeted him. They were about three standing at the entrance at the time and to my surprised, I heard the coach saying to his colleagues in my presence that this is the boy I need to win the World Cup in Ecuador. Hearing that, I felt so special but it also brought a lot of pressure on me to deliver at all cost,” the former Starlets offensive midfielder said on Thursday, August 13.
According to Sule, winning the trophy was a dream come true and his colleagues as most of them believed that being champions in the world could be the beginning of more things to come as far as their football careers are concerned.
The Black Starlets won the tournament after beating Brazil 3-2 in the final to lift the trophy for the 2nd time in the history of the West African country. The goals were scored by Baba Sule (39’), Abu Iddrisu (45’) and Emmanuel Bentil (49’), Brazil’s equalizer came through Juan (47’) and Marco Antônio (90’).
In 1995, he celebrated his greatest success when he scored past a certain Julio Cesar in the final of the U17 World Cup with the Ghanaian national team, who eventually ended up winning the game and taking home the trophy.
ABOUT THE PLAYER
Baba Sule wanted to make his name in Spanish football and arrived at Mallorca just a year later, but he contracted hepatitis, which cut his progress short. That was the first setback the former player experienced in his career and it wouldn’t be the last. His sporting career ended in 2006 when he could no longer endure his injuries and it was then he had to find a means to live, so he became a chauffeur for David De Gea during his days in the Atletico Madrid academy, as well as finding time to become an electrician. He left Mallorca for Ourense, where he broke two bones in his arm. Nevertheless, Baba returned to take part in the U20 World Cup, where he scored two more goals, but Ghana finished in fourth place.
Michael Abu, Nana Kwaku Attakora Amanianmpong, Kamara Dini, Patrick Allotey, Charles Akwei, Stephen ‘Tornado’ Appiah, Awudu Issaka, Christian Atta Gyan, Joe Ansah, Christian Saba.
Bottom Row (L-R); Baba Sule, Charles Allotey, Emmanuel Bentil, Bashiru Gambo, Richard Ackon, Abu Iddrisu, David Amoako.
For more on the starlets 1995 squad and all the revelations, make a date every Sunday at 2 p.m., on ‘TIME WITH THE CAPTAINS’ show on GTV Sports +. The show is also live each day on ‘THE FILE’ on Mondays to Fridays 10:30 a.m. to midday.
GTV sports+ — the home of the legends!
STORY FILED BY JACOB NARH NORTAH.
Twitter handle: @NarhNortah
