Former Minister for Sports, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, has appealed to the Ghana Football Association to consider recruiting more English-born players into the Black Stars setup as preparations intensify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ghana will compete in Group L at the tournament, where they are scheduled to face Panama, England, and Croatia. The Black Stars will begin their campaign against Panama on June 17, followed by a highly anticipated encounter with England on June 23, before wrapping up the group phase against Croatia on June 27. The competition will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Speaking in an interview with Citi Sports, Vanderpuye stressed that adding players with strong ties to English football could provide Ghana with a mental and tactical advantage, especially in the fixture against England. He specifically mentioned the potential impact of Antoine Semenyo alongside other England-based talents such as Callum Hudson-Odoi, Josh Acheampong, and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.
According to him, the England match is the standout fixture he is most eager to watch, and he believes the presence of players who are familiar with English football could influence the balance of the contest.
He explained that when players regularly compete against each other at club level, it can shape how they approach key moments on the pitch. Vanderpuye pointed to the example of Bukayo Saka’s past struggles against Aaron Wan-Bissaka, noting that familiarity between opponents often plays a crucial role in high-level football.
With the group stage lineup confirmed, Ghana’s meeting with England is already being viewed as a defining moment in their quest to progress beyond the first round, and Vanderpuye believes strategic player selection could make a significant difference in that encounter.
