The Black Stars are playing their fifth World Cup, having made it a regular feature of appearing at the global showpiece every four years bar Russia 2018. The  global tournament has been a unifying force for all Ghanaians in the country despite tribal, political, and religious differences.

The weight of expectations on the team this time around is at an all-time low, and the reasons for this have been glaring, to say the least. A wave of consistent losses against sides like Japan and Korea in the Kirin Cup, then a three-peat loss against Austria, Germany, and Mexico.

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This shambolic outing eventually led to the sacking of Otto Addo, the first Ghanaian to qualify the team for two consecutive World Cups, with his replacement being the experienced Carlos Queiroz.

In this piece, I look at how Queiroz’s appointment bodes for Ghana against England, Croatia, and Panama for the group stage games.

In the Portuguese’s mind, he would have wished to get the job before April 13, but a soldier should always be ready whenever he is called to action, especially when handling a passionate West African football country’s senior national team.

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A man who has seen it all in the top-level football management, having coached Portugal (2010), Iran (2014,2018, and 2022), and now Ghana (2026), his fifth bromance, hoping it brews positive tides in North America. The expectation is that he will sprinkle his experience on the Black Stars to make them useful imprints in the Mundial.

He superintended the game against Wales, where the team drew 1-1 with their European counterparts in Cardiff. In that game, his tactical style was all over the team. They played more structured, compact, and defensively resolute at the back. The team absorbed a lot of pressure in the first half and countered a few times when the opportunity arose in certain phases of the game.

In the second half, there were a lot of tactical switches, variations, and personnel that were introduced. It gave the team the freedom to breathe. The team came alive in that second half, much to the excitement of many Ghanaians. I am sure that is something they would become familiar with in the approaching games.

Team Unity is a recurring feature I have noticed since this team pitched camp for the Wales friendly and then went to Rhode Island. I have seen some training videos of the team. It does look like the boys are really enjoying themselves in camp. Long may it continue.

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The notable absence of Mohammed Kudus, the poster boy for the Black Stars, missing in action through injury, would be greatly felt by Ghanaians, but even so, there are a handful of other talented boys laced with experience that the Portuguese man would be happy to work with for the World Cup. 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.

A tactician who possesses the exceptional abilities of doing much with little, it will be exciting for him to maximize the abilities of our current best performer, Antoine Selorm Semenyo, who had an amazing season with Man City. He is powerful, direct, aggressive in duels, and devastating in attacking spaces, a trait that would be hugely crucial for the Black Stars 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.

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Caleb Yirenkyi has shown promise. He has shown talent. He has shown that when deployed well, he could be an arsenal ready to destabilize his foes. There is no doubt that the young man can be one of the brightest young gems on the World Stage. I look forward to this.

If Queiroz hits the right chords, he can get the Black Stars singing melodious tunes at the World Cup.