Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has praised the adaptability and collective spirit of his squad as the Black Stars prepare to open their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Panama on Wednesday night.
The five-time African champions, making their fifth appearance at the global tournament, begin their Group L journey at BMO Field with kick-off set for 23:00 GMT.
Speaking to the media on the eve of the match, Queiroz highlighted the positive response of his players to his methods and the blending of different footballing influences within the squad.
“We’ve got the task of connecting players that have a French philosophy of the game with those who have English and Spanish ones,” said Queiroz.
“And then it has to combine with local ideas to create an identity for our game,” he added. “It has not been easy, but it’s been very rewarding to do because our players have been very cooperative.
“They’ve been very open. They’ve been seeking to participate in the construction of a very strong team.”
The experienced Portuguese coach, who is overseeing his fifth World Cup tournament, said the process of building cohesion within a short preparation window has been central to Ghana’s development.
“The connection has been the most important aspect that we’ve been able to work on in this short time that we’ve had together,” said Queiroz, who is overseeing a team at the World Cup for the fifth time.
“I am quite pleased because the team has responded well. They’re very cohesive. They’re very well integrated. We have a compact team.”
Attention is now firmly on Ghana’s opening fixture, which has drawn significant anticipation as the Black Stars aim to start strongly in a challenging group.
After facing Panama, Ghana will meet England at Gillette Stadium on June 23 before wrapping up their Group L matches against Croatia on June 27.
The Black Stars are targeting a return to the knockout stages for the first time since their historic quarter-final run at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
