Colin Udoh
Multiple Authors
Ghana have appointed Carlos Queiroz as head coach of the senior nationwide group, the Black Stars. The former Real Madrid, Manchester United, Portugal and Iran coach will lead Ghana’s campaign on the 2026 FIFA World Cup within the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Queiroz, 73, begins work instantly. Ghana play their first Group L match in opposition to Panama on June 17 at BMO Field in Toronto, earlier than dealing with England on June 23 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Croatia on June 27 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Sources near the GFA mentioned the appointment is structured as a short-term association by the World Cup and will probably be re-evaluated after the event.
“This is not just another job — it is a mission,” Queiroz mentioned in a press release on the GFA web site. “And I am ready to give everything of my experience and knowledge once again, in service of the game and the happiness of People.”
The appointment ends a two-week search that started when the GFA dismissed Otto Addo on March 30, hours after a 2-1 pleasant loss to Germany in Stuttgart. That end result was the Black Stars’ fourth consecutive-defeat in pre-tournament preparation, following losses to Japan, South Korea and Austria, the final of these a 5-1 defeat in Vienna. Addo, who had certified Ghana for the event by profitable eight and drawing one of ten qualifying matches, was fired 72 days earlier than the World Cup’s opening ceremony.
GFA president Kurt Okraku disclosed that the affiliation obtained over 600 functions within the first 24 hours after Addo’s departure, regardless of by no means issuing a public name for candidates.
Queiroz beat a number of outstanding candidates to the job.
Slaven Bilic, the 57-year-old Croatian and former West Ham United supervisor, had emerged as a frontrunner after holding direct discussions with the GFA. Bilic managed Croatia at Euro 2008, reaching the quarterfinals, and spent two seasons within the Premier League with West Ham.
Herve Renard, who gained the Africa Cup of Nations with Zambia in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015, was extensively thought to be a number one contender. Reports point out the GFA could also be eyeing Renard for a longer-term function after the event, an element that presumably influenced the choice to construction the preliminary appointment as a short-term contract.
Kwesi Appiah, presently managing Sudan and a former Black Stars head coach, was often talked about. However, sources point out his relationship with Okraku posed a major impediment. Tom Saintfiet, the Belgian coach who led Gambia to a historic AFCON quarterfinal in 2021, and Kim Lars Bjorkgren, a Swedish coach working inside Ghana’s home setup, had been additionally on the shortlist.
Queiroz brings in depth World Cup expertise to the function, having taken cost of nationwide groups at 5 FIFA World Cups.
Born in Mozambique in 1953, he first rose to prominence by teaching Portugal’s youth groups to consecutive FIFA U20 World Cup titles in 1989 and 1991, growing a era that included Luis Figo and Rui Costa. He went on to handle Sporting CP, the place he gained the Portuguese Cup in 1995, earlier than teaching the New York/New Jersey MetroStars and Japan’s Nagoya Grampus Eight.
At membership stage, his highest-profile roles had been as head coach of Real Madrid within the 2003-04 season, the place he gained the Spanish Super Cup, and as Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant supervisor at Manchester United throughout two stints from 2002 to 2003 and 2004 to 2008.
His first African teaching function got here with South Africa. Appointed in 2000, he certified Bafana Bafana for the 2002 FIFA World Cup by topping their CAF qualifying group, together with a decisive late win over Mali. He resigned earlier than the event after a disagreement with the South African Football Association.
He managed Portugal’s senior group from 2008 to 2010, main them to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Portugal reached the Round of 16 and recorded a 7-0 victory over North Korea within the group stage.
His longest nationwide group tenure was with Iran, the place he served for practically eight years between 2011 and 2019, making him the longest-serving coach within the nation’s soccer historical past. He certified Iran for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil as unbeaten group winners and once more for the 2018 event in Russia, the place Iran drew 1-1 with Portugal and narrowly missed the knockout rounds in a gaggle containing Spain and Portugal. He returned for a 3rd World Cup with Iran in 2022 in Qatar, the place the group beat Wales 2-0, however was eradicated within the group stage after a 6-2 loss to England and a 1-0 defeat to the United States.
Between these Iran stints, Queiroz managed Colombia from 2019 to 2020. Colombia completed first of their group on the 2019 Copa America with an ideal 9 factors, together with a 2-0 win over Argentina, earlier than exiting within the quarterfinals on penalties. Results declined in the course of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, with dwelling defeats to Uruguay (3-0) and Ecuador (6-1) ending his tenure.
His second African posting got here with Egypt in September 2021. He guided the Pharaohs to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations ultimate in Cameroon, defeating Ivory Coast on penalties within the Round of 16, Morocco 2-1 within the quarterfinal and host nation Cameroon on penalties within the semifinal. Egypt misplaced to Senegal within the ultimate, additionally on penalties. It was the primary time Queiroz had led a nationwide group to a serious event ultimate. Egypt subsequently misplaced a World Cup playoff to Senegal, once more on penalties, and his contract was terminated by mutual consent.
He briefly managed Qatar in 2023, however that contract ended by mutual settlement after 12 matches. He was most just lately serving as head coach of the Oman nationwide group.
Ghana will probably be making their fifth World Cup look. The four-time AFCON champions reached the Round of 16 in 2006 on their event debut, the quarterfinals in 2010, and the group stage in 2014 and 2022.
The Black Stars did not qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, their first absence from the continental championship in 21 years. Their present squad contains Premier League gamers Mohammed Kudus of West Ham and Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth.
Ghana are scheduled to play friendlies in opposition to Mexico and Wales earlier than the event. Queiroz will use these matches to evaluate his squad and finalize tactical preparations for the World Cup.
