Ghana found its way into the round of 32 as one of the eight best third-place teams, finishing on four points thanks to a stoppage-time winner against Panama and a stingy defensive performance that led to a goal-less draw against England. A late goal against Croatia kept Ghana from finishing second in the group, but it still did enough to move on. Under Carlos Queiroz, who came in late to tidy up a defense that had struggled in the buildup to the World Cup, Ghana was extremely organized.
It sat in a low block, defended in numbers and tried to break whenever it had the chance. That defensive structure worked. Ghana conceded only three goals in four games.
The issue was at the other end, where it only scored two goals of its own. So what’s next for the players who led Ghana to the last 32? The veteran forward, 34, made his debut for Ghana in 2010 and has since appeared in three different World Cups.
Jordan Ayew captained Ghana and led the line during this tournament as it reached the round of 32. He brought experience, leadership and work rate to a Ghana team that spent long stretches defending deep and looking for moments in transition. Ayew is currently a free agent after spending last season with Leicester City, which now plays in EFL League One following relegation.
Antoine Semenyo came into the tournament as Ghana’s star man after earning his move to Manchester City this summer. Despite being the biggest name in the squad, Semenyo had a relatively quiet World Cup. Part of that came down to Ghana’s setup, with the team mostly playing in a low block and not attacking much throughout the tournament.
Still, Semenyo remains one of Ghana’s most important attacking pieces going forward. He currently plays for Manchester City. Iñaki Williams, the brother of Spain star Nico Williams, is a forward for Ghana and played a key role for the team at the 2022 World Cup.
This time around, his role was more mixed. Williams started two of Ghana’s fixtures, against England and Croatia, while coming off the bench against Panama and Colombia. Even without a starring role, Williams remained an important option for Ghana because of his pace, movement and ability to stretch back lines.
He currently plays for Spanish side Athletic Bilbao. Caleb Yirenkyi was one of the pivotal players in Ghana’s World Cup campaign. The 20-year-old scored the winning goal against Panama in stoppage time in the opening game, a decisive moment that ultimately helped Ghana qualify for the knockout stages.
Without that late goal, Ghana likely does not get out of the group. Yirenkyi currently plays for Danish Superliga club Nordsjælland.
