Former Ghana midfielder Michael Essien has identified Antoine Semenyo as the Black Stars’ most dangerous attacking weapon ahead of their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup clash against England.
Semenyo was instrumental in Ghana’s opening Group L fixture against Panama, producing a standout performance that earned him the Man of the Match award as the Black Stars secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory.
Speaking on the Wayne Rooney Show ahead of Ghana’s second group game against England at Gillette Stadium, Essien insisted the Three Lions would be particularly wary of the in-form forward.
“England will be more worried about Antoine Semenyo,” Essien, who played at the 2006 and 2014 World Cups, said.
The former Chelsea star, who is currently serving as assistant coach of FC Nordsjælland, also praised Semenyo for adapting quickly following his move.
According to Essien, the forward’s seamless integration into his new environment has been one of the biggest surprises of his development.
“His journey has been very good so far. But what surprises me a little bit is that when players switch in January, it usually takes them a while to adjust to teammates and the system, but he looks like he’s already been there,” he added.
Kick-off for the highly anticipated Group L encounter is scheduled for 20:00 GMT, with Ghana seeking a positive result to strengthen their chances of advancing to the knockout stage ahead of their final group fixture in Philadelphia on June 27.
A strong performance against England would move the four-time African champions closer to a first appearance in the World Cup knockout rounds since the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
