Former Ghana international Stephen Appiah has disclosed how he nearly rejected the Black Stars captain's armband when he was first offered the role.
Appiah led the West African powerhouses to their maiden FIFA World Cup tournament in Brazil in 2006 after previous failed attempts.
He was again the skipper of the side as the Black Stars nearly made history by becoming the first African side to reach the semifinal stage of the global football fiesta only to painfully lose to Uruguay on penalties at the quarter final round.
According to the 39-year-old former Juventus and Fenerbahce midfielder, he didn't want to accept the armband when it was first offered to him by the then technical handlers of the team as he believed goalkeeper Richard Kingson was more deserving.
"When I was offered the captaincy, I said no I think Richard Kingson was the more experience in the team at the time so I said he should lead the team. But Kingson tapped me and told me to accept the role and that he and the other senior players would support me. After that I called Abedi Pele and informed him. He offered me advice and told me I was a born leader so I shouldn't be afraid. I also called Osei Kuffour, Akonnor and others to seek their blessings," Appiah revealed on Joy FM.