Ghana Bets on Semenyo and the Ambition of a New Generation

Ghana enters the 2026 World Cup with great ambitions despite the transition phase the team is undergoing. The experienced Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz is leading a new project that relies on a four-man defense line instead of the three-man defense preferred by the former coach Otto Addo.

The friendly match against Wales showed a noticeable improvement in defensive organization and collective pressing, with the duo Caleb Yerienki and Kwasi Sibo standing out in midfield thanks to their vitality and ability to win the ball and build attacks.

The main issue for the Ghanaian national team remains offensive effectiveness, despite having a group of distinguished players. The team heavily relies on its star, Antoine Semenyo, who had an exceptional season in the English Premier League, scoring 17 goals and providing 4 assists, and also scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final. Ghanaians hope that this brilliance will translate to the national team, as he has only scored three goals in 34 international matches.

The young midfielder Caleb Yirenky is considered one of the most anticipated talents in the tournament, as he is compared to the former Ghanaian star Michael Essien due to his physical and technical abilities and his excellence in intercepting balls and advancing them forward.

Goalkeeper Benjamin Asare also succeeded in restoring stability to the backline after a period of decline, contributing to a clear improvement in the defensive system during the qualifiers.

The draw placed Ghana in Group L alongside England, Croatia, and Panama, in a group that seems difficult but not impossible.

The team will receive significant support from fans, as the Ghanaian government funded the travel of thousands of supporters to North America with an amount exceeding three million dollars. Meanwhile, the "Black Stars" hope to replicate their historic achievement of reaching the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup.