Former Sports Minister, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, has expressed excitement ahead of Ghana’s second Group L match against England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Black Stars have been drawn into Group L alongside Panama, England and Croatia. Ghana will open their campaign against Panama on June 17, before taking on the Three Lions on June 23 and facing Croatia on June 27.
In an interview with Citi Sports, Vanderpuye highlighted the potential advantage Ghana could gain from players who are familiar with English football.
He mentioned Callum Hudson-Odoi, Josh Acheampong and Rak-Sakyi, saying their inclusion could give the Black Stars a psychological edge against England.
“The one I’m looking forward to is the match against England,” the former Member of Parliament said.
“And that’s why I want not only Semenyo, I want to have Callum Hudson-Odoi, I want to have Josh Acheampong, I want to have Rak-Sakyi. Their presence alone will give us some psychological advantage in that match.”
Vanderpuye explained that English players are likely to be more cautious when facing opponents they know from club football, while Ghanaian players with experience in England would be better positioned to anticipate their opponents’ style of play.
To support his point, he cited past encounters between Bukayo Saka and Aaron Wan-Bissaka as an example of how familiarity can influence performance on the pitch.
“Look, I’ve said something people don’t want to know. Bukayo Saka always has problems with Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Wan-Bissaka knows him very well. In football, it’s always the case. When you know a player, you know what he’s going to do.”
Ghana’s clash with England is expected to be a major test for the Black Stars as they seek to make a strong impression at the 2026 World Cup.
