Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has praised his players for their resilience and discipline after the Black Stars secured a goalless draw against England to book their place in the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The four-time African champions faced the Three Lions in their second Group L fixture at Boston Stadium on Tuesday night and produced a determined defensive display to earn a valuable point.
Despite England dominating possession for large spells of the contest, Ghana stood firm to frustrate Thomas Tuchel’s side and secure qualification for the knockout stage.
“The first goal is achieved, and we qualified for the second round,” Queiroz told the BBC after the game
“I am so proud of the way our players fought during the game and how much they stand behind the game plan. They always believed. My humble opinion is that England can be a candidate to win the World Cup. It is a gift for our fans. It is a gift for some of the players we lost.”
The Portuguese tactician also explained the strategy behind Ghana’s approach against one of the tournament favourites.
“That’s the way to win when you have to defend, you defend. I cannot play samba when they play rock and roll,” he said.
“The goal was to finish the first half with the England team frustrated and no solution to beat us. That was when we started to grow up and control the game. We could score, but unfortunately, we didn’t do it. I think England could score, so a draw was a fair result.”
Reflecting on the significance of securing a qualification, Queiroz added: “Happiness. Win is happiness, but in this moment, the win is nothing. We reached the second stage, which was the goal.”
The result leaves both Ghana and England level on four points at the top of Group L heading into their final group-stage matches on Saturday.
England will face Panama, while Ghana take on Croatia as both teams look to finish strongly and secure their places in the knockout rounds.
