Black Stars captain Jordan Ayew has praised the impressive rise of Antoine Semenyo, urging the forward to carry his club-level brilliance into national duty ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Semenyo, who has been named in Ghana’s final 26-man squad for the tournament in North America, has enjoyed a standout season that has firmly elevated his profile on the global stage. After joining Manchester City in January from AFC Bournemouth, the forward delivered a remarkable return of 17 league goals and earned a nomination for the Premier League Player of the Season award.
Speaking to the media on Monday ahead of Ghana’s friendly against Wales, Ayew highlighted Semenyo’s consistency and mentality, describing him as a key asset both for club and country.
“He’s darn brilliant. We all know this is in his heart since he’s been at Bournemouth. He took it to City, and the fans are proud of him, the boys are proud of him,” Ayew said.
He added that Semenyo’s success reflects collective effort within the squad, while expressing confidence that the forward will continue to deliver for the national team.
“So we just hope that he’ll keep on doing it and doing it for Ghana. It’s not that he’s performing alone, we’re all performing as a team. We’re good, we’re happy,” he noted.
Ghana’s friendly against Wales is scheduled for 18:45 GMT at the Cardiff City Stadium, as part of final preparations for the World Cup.
The Black Stars will conclude their build-up on June 10 with a friendly against Jamaica before shifting focus to the World Cup campaign in Group L. FIFA World Cup 2026 will see Ghana face Panama, England and Croatia in the group stage.
Ghana open their tournament against Panama on June 17 at BMO Field, before meeting England six days later and wrapping up the group phase against Croatia on June 27.
