Former Ghana international Augustine Arhinful has stressed that the Black Stars’ performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will largely depend on the players selected for the tournament.
His comments follow the appointment of Carlos Queiroz as head coach of the senior national team ahead of the global showpiece in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Ghana have been drawn in Group L alongside England, Croatia and Panama, with Queiroz expected to name his final squad on June 1.
Arhinful believes the team’s success will hinge on the quality and readiness of the selected players.
“But also, don’t forget that the players that we have and at any given time, the players that we are going to select will determine how the team will perform,” he told Graphic Sports.
He also expressed cautious optimism about preparations under Queiroz, pointing to assurances from the Ghana Football Association regarding the coach’s approach.
“I think I’ve read snippets of his interviews, and I know what I heard the FA spokesperson say—that he has all the data of the players and he has been following them. So, we will just have to believe what the spokesperson has said and then we’ll run with it,” he added.
Ghana will be making their fifth appearance at the FIFA World Cup, opening their campaign against Panama on June 17, before facing England on June 23 and Croatia on June 27.
Queiroz has been tasked with steering the Black Stars beyond their recent struggles on the global stage, following back-to-back group-stage exits in 2014 and 2022.
