At 36 years of age, captain Portia Boakye is the most senior member of the current Black Queens squad — and she proved that age is just a number.
The veteran centre-back, who has been a stalwart in Ghana’s women’s national team for over a decade, featured in every single minute of the Black Queens’ 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign in Morocco. This included two intense knockout matches that went into extra time.
Boakye, who plays her club football with Djurgårdens IF in Sweden, clocked an astonishing 600 minutes on the pitch across six matches. Her consistency and composure at the heart of the defence were crucial to Ghana’s deep run in the tournament.
Known for her leadership, positional intelligence, and calm presence under pressure, Boakye’s performance served as an inspiration to her younger teammates. With over 100 international caps to her name, the former winger-turned-defender continues to be a vital figure for the Black Queens.
Her endurance and commitment were widely praised by fans and pundits alike, as she helped guide the team to a historic semi-final finish and secure a third-place berth at WAFCON.
