Ghana’s Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has challenged new Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz to maximise the potential of the national team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Queiroz, who was unveiled in April as successor to Otto Addo, has been tasked with reversing Ghana’s recent struggles and transforming the team’s individual talent into consistent results on the international stage.
Despite several Ghanaian players enjoying strong seasons with their clubs in Europe, the Black Stars are currently on a four-match losing streak.
Speaking to SoccerChat, Mr Adams questioned why some key players have failed to replicate their club performances for the national team.
“Why would we have Antoine Semenyo in our team, and when he goes to his club side he performs very well, but when he comes to the national team, he’s not able to play effectively?” he asked.
“Mohammed Kudus plays well for his club but at the national team, he sometimes struggles to have that kind of flair. So the new coach has work to do to make these talents achieve results,” he added.
Kudus scored nine goals in all competitions for Tottenham Hotspur before suffering an injury that has kept him sidelined since January. Semenyo, meanwhile, has enjoyed an impressive campaign, registering 20 goals and six assists across all competitions this season.
Queiroz has already indicated that only “deserving players” will receive national team call-ups as he seeks to rebuild competitiveness within the squad.
The Portuguese coach is expected to announce his final squad for the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup by June 1.
Ghana will play preparatory matches against Mexico national football team on May 22 and Wales national football team on June 2 as part of preparations for the tournament.
The Black Stars have been drawn in Group L alongside England national football team, Croatia national football team and Panama national football team.
Ghana will be aiming to secure a place in the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time since the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
