Former Ghana international Michael Essien has backed the Black Stars to progress beyond the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expressing confidence in the quality and potential of the current squad.
Ghana, four-time African champions, will compete at the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, where they have been drawn in a challenging Group L alongside England, Croatia and Panama.
The Black Stars will be eager to bounce back from disappointing group-stage exits at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the 2022 edition in Qatar, with hopes high that the team can make a deeper run this time around.
Essien believes Ghana has the talent and experience needed to secure a place in the knockout rounds.
“I think the team has the quality to make it out of the group phase. They were disappointing in the last World Cup in Qatar, and as a Ghanaian, the nation is also expecting the boys to do well,” the former Chelsea midfielder told talkSPORTS.
The 42-year-old identified Ghana’s highly anticipated clash against England as one of the standout fixtures of the group stage but urged the players to remain focused and approach the tournament one game at a time.
“Ghana playing against England is a game everyone is looking forward to, so let’s see what they can do. They will have to take it game by game and make sure they get the results they need.”
Essien stressed that reaching the knockout stage should be the minimum objective for the Black Stars, adding that any progress beyond that would be a significant achievement for the nation.
“If they can make it out of the group stage and then go to the next stage, and if something special happens, I am sure the nation will be happy. I have high hopes for the team to perform well,” he added.
Ghana will begin their World Cup campaign against Panama on June 17 at BMO Field before taking on England at Gillette Stadium on June 23. The Black Stars will conclude their Group L fixtures against Croatia on June 27.
The team is currently in the United States fine-tuning preparations ahead of the tournament, with a final warm-up match against Jamaica scheduled for June 10 as coach Carlos Queiroz looks to put the finishing touches on his squad.
With expectations growing among supporters, Essien’s endorsement will further boost belief that the Black Stars can make a strong impression on football’s biggest stage.