Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has challenged his players to prepare for a tougher test against England following their dramatic opening victory at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Black Stars began their Group L campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Panama at BMO Field in Toronto, thanks to a late strike from midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi.
After struggling to impose themselves in the first half, Ghana showed resilience and determination to secure all three points, with Yirenkyi netting the decisive goal in stoppage time.
Looking ahead to the crucial encounter against England, Queiroz warned that his side must be ready to endure difficult moments and make significant sacrifices if they are to continue their winning start.
“To suffer and play. We have to suffer; there is no other way. We must be ready to make sacrifices,” he said.
“You have to be ready to pay the price because a win in this World Cup is very expensive. But the boys are ready to pay that price. Very expensive,” he said.
The victory over Panama puts Ghana in a strong position in Group L after England opened their campaign with a 4-2 win over Croatia.
Attention now turns to the much-anticipated clash with England at Gillette Stadium on June 23, before the Black Stars conclude their group-stage campaign against Croatia four days later.
With three points already secured, Ghana will be eager to build momentum and boost their chances of advancing to the knockout stage for the first time since their memorable run to the quarter-finals at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
