Black Stars captain Jordan Ayew has acknowledged the magnitude of Ghana’s upcoming clash against England, insisting the team is prepared to rise to the occasion and deliver a performance that will make the nation proud.
Ghana heads into Tuesday’s Group L encounter in high spirits after opening their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama, courtesy of a solitary strike from Caleb Yirenkyi.
Speaking to the media on Monday ahead of the crucial fixture, the 34-year-old forward said the mood in camp remains positive, with the players fully focused on securing another positive result.
“It’s been positive, and it has been good. Everyone is ready for the next game. We’ve won just one game, and we are not yet done,” Ayew said.
“So we have two more important games. We want to ensure that we do our best to enjoy ourselves and get positive results.
The Ghana skipper admitted that facing one of the tournament favourites would be a stern test but stressed that the Black Stars are relishing the challenge.
“It’s going to be a tough game [against England], and we all know, and that’s why we are at the World Cup. You have to play against the best.
“We are ready for the challenge, and we are going to do our best to make ourselves proud and make our country and family proud.
Ayew also reflected on Ghana’s opening win over Panama, describing it as another example of the competitiveness of the World Cup.
“There are no easy games at the World Cup. Every game is difficult because you play against the best teams. Obviously, it was a difficult game [against Panama], but in the end, we got the three points, and that’s the most important thing.
“Now we are playing against England, and it’s going to be really difficult, but we will see what happens. We will put on a show and make everybody proud.”
A win or a draw against the Three Lions could be enough to secure Ghana’s place in the knockout stages of the tournament.
The Black Stars will then wrap up their Group L campaign against Croatia on June 27 as they continue their quest to reach the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time since their memorable run to the quarter-finals in 2010.
