Appiah said it’s a big deal to be selected to play in such a prestigious tournament and admonished the players to make use of the opportunity.
Weighing in on Ghana’s chances at the tournament during the AFCON trophy tour unveiling at the TotalEnergies House in Accra, Appiah called on the Black Stars to play their hearts out in Ivory Coast.
"[The AFCON] is our World Cup so it's very important. Being part of the players that would be selected to go and play in the tournament is very huge," he said, as quoted by Joy Sports.
"For [the players], nobody should tell them how important the AFCON is. So they should go out there and play their hearts out and I am sure something will come out of it."
Appiah was part of Ghana’s golden generation of the 2000s that failed to win any trophy despite boasting several talented players.
To this end, the Black Stars have now seen their trophy drought stretch to 41 years, with their last AFCON triumph coming way back in 1982.
With Ghana paired in the same group with Egypt, Cape Verde and Mozambique for next year’s tournament in the Ivory Coast, Appiah believes they can go all the way.
“I am very confident that Ghana can win the Afcon,” the former Juventus and Fenerbahce midfielder articulated.
“Today football is played everywhere and that’s why you’ll find it difficult to even play Comoros. We should believe in ourselves and in the team. They should go out there and represent Ghana the best they can.”
Meanwhile, the 2023 AFCON is set to begin on January 13 and end on February 11, 2024.