At every turn in the build-up to Ghana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, the Black Stars’ fault lines have become increasingly visible. The most glaring issue was the lingering question over Otto Addo’s suitability for the head coach role. That concern has now been addressed with his dismissal, and further clarity is expected as a new head coach is set to be appointed by Monday, April 13, to lead Ghana into the tournament across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The reported shortlist, featuring Carlos Queiroz, Fernando Santos and Paulo Bento, has not exactly sparked excitement among fans. All three belong to a more conservative coaching school, often favouring defensive structure and pragmatism over the modern, attack-minded philosophy built on fluid transitions and playing out from the back.
But in the midst of these “uninspiring” pointers in the profiles of the aforementioned candidates, there are some positives. An example is the good fit of these coaches with the present iteration of players for the Black Stars. Ghana is built to play counter attacking football at the World Cup as the Black Stars boast a fleet of speedsters who can stretch opposing teams and keep them honest.
In Antoine Semenyo, Inaki Williams, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Joseph Paintsil, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Ibrahim Osman and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, the Black Stars are built for speed. Playing a counter attacking game in the World Cup is the best way to get the best out of this Black Stars squad especially when one factors the very limited time the new head coach will have with the team before the World Cup.
A key factor in a successful counter attacking game is having quality passes from deep to spring speedsters in the frontline into life. For the Black Stars, one player who has the quality to deliver such passes and more is Mohammed Kudus. Despite having a largely average and injury filled debut season at Tottenham Hotspurs, Kudus’ importance in the Black Stars setup has never been in doubt.
However, a major complication looms. Mohammed Kudus is now a doubt for the World Cup after suffering a setback in his recovery from a quad injury that could require surgery. His potential absence leaves a significant creative void and has already triggered discussions about possible replacements.
One name back in the conversation is André Ayew. The former captain, Ghana’s all-time appearance leader, has found renewed rhythm at NAC Breda and is pushing for a return. The prospect of becoming the first Ghanaian, and only the second African, to feature at four World Cups adds weight to his case.
Yet, sentiment aside, Ayew may not be the ideal fit for the number 10 role. While his experience and leadership remain valuable, his physical decline and reduced effectiveness in tight spaces raise questions about his ability to execute the demands of that position at the highest level.
With that in mind, attention must turn to younger, more dynamic options. Ghana has a pool of emerging creative midfielders capable of stepping into Kudus’ role, both in upcoming friendlies against Mexico and Wales and potentially at the World Cup itself.
Hubert Gyau Kumasi Asante Kotoko
Though Kotoko’s interim head coach Prince Yaw Owusu slammed the former Berekum Chelsea midfielder’s shot selection in the midst of Kotoko’s very poor 2025-2026 campaign, Gyau has shown early on that he can thrive in a pressure filled environment like Kotoko and can translate that ability to the national team level.
Even in the face of the Porcupine Warriors’ poor season, Gyau has consistently been one of Kotoko’s best players orchestrating attacks, delivering eye catching runs and scoring brilliant goals. A few weeks to his 21st birthday, Gyau, who has four goals in 27 league games, is a highly rated prospect who could prove to be an X factor for the Black Stars.
Prince Owusu Medeama SC
For a second, it looked like Medeama would win this season’s Ghana Premier League title with aplomb until a devastating run of results had their 10 point lead completely erased. The Mauve and Yellow’s form guide has been inconsistent but Prince Owusu’s form has been the opposite and the 21 year old deserves another call up to the Black Stars but this time with the chance to play extensive minutes than he did in his last run out with the team.
Like Gyau, the games against Mexico and Wales will be crucial for Prince Owusu’s potential integration into the team for the World Cup.
Abdul Aziz Issah FC Barcelona B
Many would scoff at the idea of FC Barcelona’s junior team’s player getting the nod as the replacement for Mo Kudus but here is the reality; playing for Barca Atletic is far from shabby. As such, Abdul Aziz Issah shouldn’t be discounted from making the Black Stars for the World Cup after showcasing his remarkable talent as a creator who played a vital role in Dreams FC’s remarkable semifinal run in the CAF Confederation Cup that earned him a CAF Award nomination.
Since recovering from injury, Aziz Issah has played his way to become an integral member of Barca Atletic.
Augustine Boakye Saint-Etienne
Easily the creative midfielder in this list with the highest profile and the best statistics, six goals and seven assists in 29 games in all competitions, Augustine Boakye has excelled as a major creative outlet for the French Ligue 2 side this season. Striking when the iron hot is a trait that requires impeccable timing and Boakye’s improved performance this season comes at a timely period when Ghana’s creative options are quite severely limited.
Due to scheduling issues, Boakye, likely won’t be available for the Mexico game but the friendly game against Wales presents a big opportunity for the 25 year old to get his feet for a World Cup run.
