Ghana replaced Otto Addo with Carlos Queiroz as head coach in early April following poor results that included comprehensive losses in four major games between November 2023 and March 2024, and a failure to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations at the turn of the year [1, 2].
Queiroz, 73, is a veteran manager with experience at five successive World Cups. He has previously coached in Africa with South Africa and Egypt, managed top clubs like Real Madrid, and served as assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United [1, 2].
Soon after his appointment, Queiroz undertook a whirlwind tour around Europe but faced limited time for detailed preparation ahead of Ghana’s World Cup group stage matches against Panama, England, and Croatia [1, 2]. The Portuguese coach said, "We are running against the wind. We are running against time. But, in my experience and my expertise, and the support of the staff and especially our players, I'm very much confident that we can do well" [1].
Ghana’s squad features talented individuals but has been criticized for a lack of tactical discipline and defensive solidity [1, 2]. The attack is led by Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo, who provides a strong offensive presence [1, 2]. However, the team will be without Mohammed Kudus, their talisman and a key factor in qualifying, as he is sidelined by injury and will miss the tournament under Queiroz [1, 2].
The team continues to face challenges in securing an international-quality goalkeeper, a recurring issue in several major tournaments [1, 2]. Since their first World Cup qualification in 2006, Ghana has missed only the 2018 tournament and reached the quarter-finals in 2010, narrowly missing the semi-finals after losing to Uruguay on penalties [1, 2].
Queiroz’s appointment marks Ghana’s effort to recover from recent setbacks ahead of the World Cup. The team will next focus on final preparations for their group stage matches scheduled for later this year.