For millions of Ghanaians, the Black Stars have provided some of football’s greatest moments of joy, but they have also delivered heartbreaks that remain painful years later.

From a penalty miss that shattered a World Cup dream to a shootout that brought Ghana agonisingly close to ending a 33-year wait for AFCON glory, the national team has left its supporters wondering what might have been.

Here are five times the Black Stars broke Ghanaian hearts.

2015 AFCON final: The penalty shootout heartbreak

Ghana came within touching distance of ending a 33-year wait for the Africa Cup of Nations title, only for the dream to collapse in one of the most dramatic finals in the tournament’s history.

After 120 goalless minutes against Côte d’Ivoire in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, the final went to penalties.

The Black Stars took a 2-0 lead after the Ivorians missed their first two attempts, but Afriyie Acquah and Frank Acheampong subsequently missed for Ghana.

With the shootout reaching sudden death, Ivorian goalkeeper Boubacar Barry saved Razak Brimah’s penalty before scoring the decisive kick himself to secure a 9-8 victory for Côte d’Ivoire. Ghana’s wait for a fifth continental crown continued.

2010 World Cup: Asamoah Gyan’s missed penalty

Ghana stood on the brink of becoming the first African country to reach a FIFA World Cup semi-final when Luis Suárez handled Dominic Adiyiah’s goal-bound header in the dying moments of extra time against Uruguay.

Suárez was sent off, and Ghana were awarded a penalty. But Asamoah Gyan struck the crossbar, sending the contest into a shootout.

Gyan converted his kick, but John Mensah and Adiyiah missed theirs as Uruguay won 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

A historic opportunity had slipped away in heartbreaking fashion.

2008 AFCON: Cameroon silence the hosts

Ghana entered the 2008 AFCON as hosts, carrying the hopes of a nation desperate to celebrate a home triumph.

After defeating Nigeria in the quarter-finals, the Black Stars faced Cameroon in the semi-finals at the Accra Sports Stadium.

With the final seemingly within reach, substitute Alain Nkong scored in the 71st minute to hand Cameroon a 1-0 victory.

The defeat ended Ghana’s hopes of winning the tournament on home soil, turning an atmosphere of expectation into disappointment.

1988 AFCON qualifying: Sierra Leone’s stunning upset

Ghana’s status as a former African champion offered little protection when Sierra Leone stunned the Black Stars during qualifying for the 1988 AFCON.

The 2-1 defeat in Ghana proved decisive in the qualification campaign, with the Black Stars failing to secure a place at the tournament.

For a country accustomed to continental success, missing the competition was a painful setback.

1971 AFCON qualifying: Togo shock Ghana

Few results could have seemed more improbable than Ghana’s elimination by neighbouring Togo in qualifying for the 1972 AFCON.

After a goalless first leg in Togo, Ghana suffered a 1-0 defeat at home in the return match.

The result ended their hopes of qualifying and marked their first absence from the AFCON since the tournament began in 1963.

For a team that had won the competition in 1963 and 1965 and reached the final in 1968 and 1970, the failure was more than a heartbreak.

FKA/BAI