The rest of the world will have another opportunity to Ghana's ability of combining flair with efficiency when the World Cup starts in South Africa next month.
For a side which was denied of six regular players at the African Cup of Nations earlier this year, the Black Stars, with the blend of youth and experience produced a result-oriented campaign crafted by Milovan Rajevac, which earned them silver.
Noted for its attacking flair, the introduction of a strong defensive base seems to have given the Black Stars the right balance.
One of the seasoned campaigners who plays a crucial role in organizing the defensive set up for Ghana is Eric Addo, a committed star who would be in line for a second World Cup appearance.
“One of the first things the coach wanted to do was bring a bit more balance to our game,” Addo explains to Fifa.com.
“He didn’t change our style of play but just emphasised a more defensive approach. We’re now a bit more involved all over the pitch – everyone’s aware of the importance of defending from the front, everyone shares in the work.”
Addo believes that the team's character has changed considerably, stressing that mental strength is one of the major assets of the squad.
“There’s a great feeling of solidarity and unity among the players. For many of us, we’ve been together since 2006, we know each other better now and fight for each other. We’ve got more experience – this will be our second World Cup in a row. In my opinion, this team is better than the last one. Many of our players have really come on, and reaching the final of the African Cup of Nations reassured us about how good we really are,” the Roda JC player said.
The team has lots of experience with Milovan Rajevac assigning each member a responsibility.
"He [Rajevac] expects a lot from his experienced servants like me and others. We have a crucial role,” reveals Addo.
A more crucial moment would be how Addo and the rest of his colleagues lift the side as Ghana await the final confirmation of Michael Essien’s injury situation in the coming weeks.
“Michael has always been there for the team, so for him not to make it would be a big loss for us. We’d have to try to offset it by making our group even more close-knit. I hope that we’ll all be at peak fitness and raring to go. If that’s the case, we have a chance to create some waves at the tournament, because we’re a great team, assured and aware of our strengths," says Addo.