It’s the World Cup season again, and this time it’s happening in North America with Mexico, Canada, and the USA jointly hosting the global showpiece.
Ghana’s senior national team (BlackStars) is one of 48 teams to qualify for the tournament. In fact, this is their fifth time in six attempts since 2006, when they made their maiden appearance in Germany; it was a memory that has long lasted in the minds and hearts of Ghanaians.
Twenty years down memory lane, the team has qualified again. The yesteryears that saw Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien, Asamoah Gyan, and Richard Kingson become household names, a new generation is looking to write their names in the history books of Ghanaians.
A wave of five consecutive losses: Japan, Korea, Austria, Germany, and Mexico led to the dismissal of Otto Addo and the appointment of the experienced Carlos Queiroz, who seems like a smart choice for the short term.
In this piece, I have sampled some selected players that Queiroz can ride on their wings on the pitch for a successful tournament.
The notable absence of Mohammed Kudus, the poster boy for the Black Stars, missing in action through injury, has taken a toll on Ghanaians, but even so, the team is blessed with quality and talent. In the local parlance, there is a saying that resonates with many, “Agya bi wu a, agya bi te ase,” which means there is always a replacement for everyone.
Antoine Semenyo
The 26-year-old is in the form of his life heading into the World Cup. He will be an important jigsaw considering his potency in attack. He is powerful, direct runner with pace and finishing. Semenyo delivered 21 G/A in 37 appearances for Manchester City mid-season, a stat that would be heavily depended on by the technical bench.
Despite the impressive numbers from Semenyo in the just-ended season, the conundrum has always been how he translates them in national team colors. With the appointment of Queiroz, Ghanaians will be hoping that he can map a strategy to maximize the abilities of our current best performer at the World Cup.
Inaki Williams, Thomas Partey, and Jordan Ayew, making their second World Cup bow, would be great backing vocalists with their valuable experience, a trait Queiroz would hugely rely on from this trio at the World Cup.
Jordan Ayew
A son of the great Abedi Pele, brother to Andre Ayew, nephew to Kwame Ayew, is the current captain, Jordan Ayew. Now aged 34, he is set to make his third World Cup after Brazil (2014) and Qatar (2022). This time, he has the mantle of leading the team out against Panama. He is a figure that divides opinions, but his leadership, work rate, hold-up play, and set-piece threat are important traits any coach will hold in high esteem.
Jordan has been a unifying force in camp, with a lot of the young ones looking up to him. In a recent interview, he remarked that he was trying to chart his own path, and hopefully, he will lead the Black Stars to glory.
Thomas Partey
A big figure in the Black Stars setup. He embodies the heart and soul of the Ghana midfield. On any good day, you will enjoy watching him. Partey, just like any other human growing up, is not the same lad we knew from Arsenal some seasons ago. He has lost a bit of his pace, but his vision in passing, interceptions, and composure in midfield would come in handy against meticulous pressing teams, England and Croatia.
Ernest Nuamah (Winger/Forward, Lyon)
In World football, very few players are able to recover from a career-threatening injury like a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and make it in time for the World Cup. The 22-year-old, exciting, direct talent with flair and goal potential has emerged as a creative and attacking option on the flanks. He gives the coach options and a real livewire in attack. When Ghana played Wales in the final friendly game in Cardiff, his introduction in the second half brought that attacking intensity, flair, and energy into the team’s play. His long, bursting run from midfield was crucial to the team going ahead in the game, which they eventually drew 1-1 at the end of the day. transfermarkt.us
Caleb Yirenkyi
The first time this lad burst on the scene was in the 2025 Unity Cup in London as a second-half substitute against Nigeria in a game the team lost to its bitter regional rivals. Otto Addo, former Ghana coach, often deployed the 20-year-old as a full-back, a position many have felt undervalues his potential on the pitch. Many have called for his redeployment into central midfield its evident where the young boy gets his comparison to Michael Essien as a well-rounded, versatile central midfielder known for blending physical intensity with technical quality and high football IQ.
It’s least surprising that a host of Premier League clubs (ManUtd, Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton) and Real Madrid have made efforts in scouting and enquiry for the Ghanaian prodigy.
This World Cup can provide that leap for him if he hits the right heights in expressing his talent to a global audience.
There are little to no expectations from Ghanaians about the Black Stars, but the onus lies on them to make their mark in this year’s tournament under the tutelage of the experienced Carlos Queiroz.
