Ghana midfielder Stephen Appiah believes the nation will improve on their World Cup pedigree in Brazil 2014.
The Black Stars reached the quarter-finals of the first global showpiece on African soil and were denied passage into the last-four after suffering a 4-2 shootout defeat at the hands of Uruguay.
However, even before the tie went to the dreaded lottery, the Black Stars were foiled by a Luis Suarez handball on the line, which prevented a certain goal.
Asamoah Gyan hit the crossbar with the ensuing penalty to add to the side's heartache, but Appiah is confident Ghana will be back with a vengeance in 2014.
"We did our best for Ghana and Africa, but luck was not on our side," he said after the Black Stars arrived to a hero's welcome at the Kotoko International Airport in Accra.
"I am not a prophet, but I want to say that that we will qualify for the next World Cup in 2014.
"We will be battle-ready as title contenders."