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Johannesburg - Former South African president Thabo Mbeki on Tuesday congratulated Ghana's national football team on its continuing success at the Soccer World Cup in South Africa and called on all Africans to support them.
The Black Stars, as the team is known, beat the United States in a last 16 on Saturday and face Uruguay in a quarter-final on Friday. They are the only African team left in the tournament, which is taking place on African soil for the first time.
Ghana have already equalled Africa's best-ever World Cup performance. Cameroon and Senegal also reached the quarter-finals - in 1990 and 2002, respectively.
"It is clear that the Black Stars will now have to discharge the highly honourable and well-deserved responsibility to represent Africa and the African Diaspora in the next stages of the World Cup," Mbeki said in a message sent to the Ghana Football Association.
"In this regard the Black Stars will remain true to the role that Ghana has played as an eminent leader of the peoples of Africa and the African Diaspora as they have worked to resolve the challenges we have had to confront.
"I am certain that these millions will now rally behind the Black Stars to guarantee that we cap the fact of the very successful hosting of the World Cup by Africa by ensuring that on behalf of the Continent and the Diaspora, the Black Stars, now of Africa, win the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup."
The message was published on the Ghana Football Association's website.
The Black Stars, as the team is known, beat the United States in a last 16 on Saturday and face Uruguay in a quarter-final on Friday. They are the only African team left in the tournament, which is taking place on African soil for the first time.
Ghana have already equalled Africa's best-ever World Cup performance. Cameroon and Senegal also reached the quarter-finals - in 1990 and 2002, respectively.
"It is clear that the Black Stars will now have to discharge the highly honourable and well-deserved responsibility to represent Africa and the African Diaspora in the next stages of the World Cup," Mbeki said in a message sent to the Ghana Football Association.
"In this regard the Black Stars will remain true to the role that Ghana has played as an eminent leader of the peoples of Africa and the African Diaspora as they have worked to resolve the challenges we have had to confront.
"I am certain that these millions will now rally behind the Black Stars to guarantee that we cap the fact of the very successful hosting of the World Cup by Africa by ensuring that on behalf of the Continent and the Diaspora, the Black Stars, now of Africa, win the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup."
The message was published on the Ghana Football Association's website.
