For the record, this isn’t another piece about the most talked about man at the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the time of writing, Cristiano Ronaldo but about Ghana’s National Men’s Football Team, the Black Stars. After delivering a whimper of a performance in Portugal’s 1-1 draw with DR Congo, Ronaldo has become the butt of jokes particularly at a time where his contemporaries have delivered on the world’s biggest football stage.
One completed round into the month long tournament and the big boys are stepping up; Harry Kane scored twice in England’s win, Luis Diaz scored in Colombia’s win, Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick in Argentina’s win, Erling Haaland scored in Norway’s win and Kylian Mbappe scored twice in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal.
Though Ghana’s highest profile player Antoine Semenyo embodied the frustrating display delivered by the Black Stars, the Manchester City forward still ended up winning the Man of the Match Award after playing a role in Ghana’s goal.
It’s just one game but the context of Ronaldo’s performance against Congo is more damning than him playing out the entire duration of the game and largely being a spectator in the contest.
Yours truly has written extensively on what Portugal and Ronaldo need to do to get the long sought after World Cup title and against Congo, there was more compelling evidence to support this stance of Ronaldo’s role needing a serious review. After all, Ronaldo played out the entire game and lost the ball three times and registered three shots with none on target. (Click highlighted text to read full story)
To correct this, it starts with Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez having the cojones to not start Ronaldo and not double down on his decision by including Bernardo Silva in the starting lineup especially when there are quality options on the bench. After the game, Martinez dismissed such criticisms about Ronaldo by highlighting the ex-Juventus player’s scoring record in his defense of the striker to the chagrin of many in the football world.
Ronaldo’s last goal in an international tournament was against Ghana at the 2022 World Cup that had Portugal beat the Black Stars 3-2; he hasn’t scored in 10 games since. That was the only goal Ronaldo scored in Qatar and it is quite fascinating that the former Real Madrid player’s only goal in the 2014 World Cup was also against Ghana thanks to a lot of help from Fatau Dauda. Portugal has a Ronaldo problem because his limited mobility but oversized ego has become a big block to a team that has all the tools to have a fluid offense that could flow with devastating effect.
That aside, Ronaldo’s lack of awareness to accept what should be his new role as a substitute and a potential super substitute at that, has hampered how this great Portugal team can fully maximize its enormous talent and having clashed multiple times with Ghana at the World Cup, Portugal’s struggles with Ronaldo have been transmitted to the Black Stars through captain Jordan Ayew.
In the Black Stars’ heart in mouth moments filled 1-0 win over Panama in its opening game at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Jordan Ayew was the “Ronaldo” of Ghana as he emerged as the biggest talking point. In 87 minutes on the pitch, the free agent forward frustrated many a Black Stars fan with his inability to find the net from six yards out on top of carrying the ball over a total distance of 32.7 metres and losing possession 21 times.
The biggest flaw in Jordan Ayew’s performance was his penchant to hold up play at the worst time possible i.e. in transition which is Ghana’s biggest goal scoring outlet. There is a place and use for Jordan Ayew’s ability to hold up play, win set pieces and play “safe passes” to kill opponents’ momentum especially when Ghana is under pressure but those traits hurt transition play.
In two games under Carlos Queiroz, Ghana has scored two goals and both goals have come from transition play and all the goals have been scored by Caleb Yirenkyi. Between Ghana’s 1-1 draw with Wales and the win over Panama, there are multiple clips of Jordan Ayew failing to lay the pass on to a runner for a sequence to continue.
There was an instance where he failed to play in Gideon Mensah who had made a run on the overlap and there was another where Antoine Semenyo was in perfect position to receive a pass from but Jordan failed to lay it on but did the opposite by turning away from the point of action and eventually lost possession.
Sigh. Same old Jordan Ayew https://t.co/DK4wHGtRSY pic.twitter.com/DHXjKSi27R
— DG 🦅#WAKOFA (@Drealz4) June 18, 2026
Jordan Ayew isn’t fast enough to keep up with his fellow forwards who are faster (Antoine Semenyo, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Christopher Baah-Bonsu, Prince Kwabena Adu, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and Kamaldeen Sulemana), doesn’t have the stamina to sustain the work rate needed in a defense-first system and most worryingly, is super hesitant to pass the ball when Ghana is on the move.
Come on Mehnnnnn https://t.co/ofkklXWNbJ pic.twitter.com/j7IdbL1OAW
— Yaw Adjei-Mintah (@YawMintYM) June 18, 2026
Ghana scrapped through the Panama challenge but a tougher challenger lies ahead in England on Tuesday, June 23 and the Three Lions is a side that easily taps into its physical edge when the tactics don’t work. Tied 2-2 with Croatia at half time, England commanded the second half and scored twice to win the tie 4-2 by going man for man as Thomas Tuchel directed the team to do per Harry Kane’s confession. (Click highlighted text to read full story)
Being a member of the legendary Ayew family and the Black Stars’ most experienced player and captain, means that benching him won’t be easy for Carlos Queiroz and it will take a lot of tact to do so. Just like Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal stand to play better without him as a starter or playing extensive minutes quite simply based on what unfolded in the country’s 9-1 win over Armenia.
For Ghana, the Black Stars have looked better without Jordan Ayew as Yirenkyi’s winner came after Jordan Ayew was off the field. Just like Cristiano Ronaldo needs to be the one to initiate the process where he starts off the bench rather than start games, Jordan Ayew needs to do same. However, just like Ronaldo, would that change happen anytime soon? Realistically speaking; NO and that is where the problem lies.
