Nelson Mandela joined a slew of South African politicians in rooting for the Ghanaian team ahead of their quarter-final game against Uruguay Friday night, dpa reported.
If the Black Stars win the game, they will be the first ever African team to qualify for the World Cup semi-finals.
In a letter sent today to the president of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi, the anti-apartheid icon said it was a "great pleasure to see that Ghana has reached the quarter finals" of the "historic" first World Cup in Africa.
"We join everybody on the continent and in the diaspora in wishing you success in the tournament going forward," he wrote.
Mandelas wishes follow expressions of support for the Black Stars from South African President Jacob Zuma and other officials.
"I'm quite confident that they are going to do very well since they hold the hopes of the African continent," Zuma said Friday, calling on South Africans to blow their vuvuzelas (plastic trumpets? to show support for the team.
In a sign that the World Cup hosts have rallied around the only African team left in the tournament, the front-page of The Citizen newspaper shouted "Go BaGhana!"
BaGhana rhymes with Bafana (boys) - nickname of the South African national team.