Fiorentina's Duncan and Ghana team-mates disturbed by Afcon trophy woes 

Ghana international Joseph Alfred Duncan has expressed worry about the Black Stars' long wait for a fifth Africa Cup of Nations title.

Four-time champions, the West Africans have not lifted the trophy since the last success in Libya in 1982.

Their most recent attempt ended woefully as they suffered a Round of 16 elimination at the 2019 championship in Egypt. It was the first time the Black Stars failed to make the semi-final since 2006.

“Obviously it’s something that is very frustrating because even when we are not in camp and we are in our various clubs, sometimes we get the opportunity to talk [among ourselves and] it’s something we talk about the most,” Duncan, who plays club football for Serie A side Fiorentina, told Citi FM.

“It’s something we also have in mind because most of the players also want to be great like the likes of Abedi Pele. Obviously we used to hear about them.

“Even having our team manager Stephen Appiah next to us, you also feel like I will like to win something with the national team or you want to get to the level where the old players got to that made them what they are today; that got them the names they have today."

In 1992, the Black Stars finished second, losing to Cote d’Ivoire in a penalty shoot-out in the final. In 1996, Ghana reached the semi-finals again, this time placing fourth after falling to Zambia in a third-place play-off.

The West Africans finished third and second, respectively, in 2008 and 2010, before making consecutive fourth-placed appearances at Gabon/Equatorial Guinea in 2012 and South Africa 2013.

At Equatorial Guinea 2015, Ghana, under former Chelsea coach Avram Grant, came mighty close once again, this time losing to Cote d’Ivoire on penalties in the final.

In 2017, the Black Stars ended the tournament in fourth position but failed to make the quarter-final of the championship at Egypt 2019 where they succumbed to Tunisia on penalties in the Round of 16.

Duncan is still chasing his first appearance at Afcon having missed the 2017 and 2019 events due to injury.