Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo says Ghana are determined to make a strong statement at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with a particular focus on their highly anticipated group-stage clash against England.
The Black Stars attacker made the comments in an interview with FIFA after Ghana were drawn in Group L alongside England, Panama, and Croatia for the tournament in North America.
Semenyo, who was born and raised in England, admitted that facing the Three Lions carries added motivation due to his personal connections with several players in the English squad.
“I’ll just want to win and prove that we can compete with the top nations,” he said.
“I know playing against my friends, I want to prove my point. I want to show that we are a top nation.”
The 26-year-old also reflected on Ghana’s painful failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, describing it as a difficult moment for the entire squad.
“We were so frustrated that we didn’t qualify. It was very, very tough,” Semenyo admitted.
However, he believes the response has been positive, with Ghana securing qualification for the 2026 World Cup and now aiming higher than just participation.
“We’re not just coming to the World Cup, we want to compete on all levels,” he added.
Semenyo expressed confidence in the quality within the current squad, insisting Ghana have both the talent and mentality to make a major impact if they progress beyond the group stage, with the potential to “do special things” on football’s biggest stage.
