Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz says the Black Stars are ready to take off for the 2026 World Cup, insisting his players are excited and committed as they begin their preparations with Tuesday’s international friendly against Wales.
The former Portugal coach was speaking at the pre-match press conference in Cardiff on Monday, where he mentioned that training has been good and he expects his players to show their flair and talent against Wales.
Here is what he had to say
On training so far
It’s an honour for us to be here in Wales and play against the national team of Wales. We thank you for that cooperation. For us, it’s important because, as you know, it is part of our preparation, so we want to thank the Federation, the players, the coaches, and the staff for this support. So, the preparation under the specific circumstances of the modern game, which tells us that we never know when the players are available or not to start the camp. We did our best, especially with the players that came and committed themselves to start the preparation early because everything was perfect. Everything was according to our goals. So, now we’re ready to take off and start the flight straight to the World Cup. Tomorrow, it’s just another day that we have to play. We try to be the best team on the pitch. We try to be the best team playing football. I know from my experience that when you play good football, you have a great chance to win the game. So, this is what we’re going to try to do tomorrow. The players, the boys are ready and excited. So, we’re looking forward to playing this game tomorrow against Wales.
On message to Ghanaians ahead of first official game
We want to express ourselves in the game tomorrow. It’s the best of our skills, effort, and commitment. As I said, the message is simple. We want to play great football; we want to play to win. We want to bring pride and happiness to the fans. That’s the only thing that I’m sure all players have in mind. And the message, it is a message of hope and confidence that, being with them not for so many months but with the training sessions that I did with them, all of them are fully committed to deliver for the national team. So, I’m very much confident that the message will be positive tomorrow.
On Djiku
Yeah, the game sometimes surprises. We have to make a decision and replace Djiku. And it doesn’t matter who the player that I called was, Djiku was replaced. And now we’re going to have the same group of centre backs in camp. And the names, you saw them play on the pitch. So, we’re ready. We’re ready to take off.
On seeing the match as just a friendly or a competitive one
You know, this game is so difficult. If you start to have complementary ideas, 150 years of celebrations, the game becomes even more difficult. So, for me, it is simple: tomorrow we start the game with one team against another, with 11 players on the pitch, trying to do the best and try to win. So, we leave those things of celebrations for you guys to talk about. For us, it’s just a simple business. Make full effort, commitment and play good football and try to win the game. That’s the name of our efforts tomorrow. Again, for me, of course, I understand the reasons behind the motivation for Wales. For us, it’s not only a preparation game. It is a preparation week for us, where we are working to learn and be better and everything better in order to win. So for us, for me and the players, there is no preparation, no friendly games or whatever. When we start to play with the shirt on our shoulders, we try to win.
On what he considers as success at the World Cup
Look, I don’t want to speculate with those standards, those goals. I want to say one thing that in my life it is always simple. I play one game each time. My players, they want to play one game each time and win another time and win another time. If we are able to reach the Cup, we are going to be full of joy and full of happiness. But the success is to go there and be sure that when we finish our journey, the pride and the honour and the prestige of the country, the reputation of the country will be higher than ever. Higher than ever. And only the people can judge that. Of course, I don’t want you to judge me for my personal qualities. I am here for you to judge me by my results. And that’s what I want to try to bring for the team.
On that one Ghanaian thing he has found since he took over
The thing that surprised me the most was the avocado. I ate so much of the avocado. Because it is the first time I see avocado sweets. But on a serious note, it is the passion. The passion of the game. So, for me it is a good feeling because there are two things that are an explosive combination to succeed in football. First one is when you have the privilege to have such beautiful talented players. And the second is when the people have passion for the game. And Ghana has these two elements. So, it is really great for us coaches of football to be part of one family. With all due respect to the other sports, but when you talk about football in Ghana, it is blood, it is everything. And the talents are here, so it is an explosive combination to succeed. So, that gave me the first and the most important attraction to Ghana. With all the respect for all the sports and other issues. And, I mean, that’s it.
On relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson
About my private relationship with Alex, I keep it really private. And one thing you can believe in, we start as professionals and we finish as almost brothers. Look, if I know really, and I know very well, playing against England, I am sure that Sir Alex will support me representing Ghana. He is a Scottish person.
On being under pressure to perform
Of course, of course, I am under pressure. If you tell me one coach in the world of football that is not under pressure, that will surprise me. But pressure in our job is what drives us forward to be better every day, to wake up and beat myself. This is what keeps me alert and with full hunger and desire to transfer my feelings to the players and win. So, I think the day the game doesn’t have pressure, our job finishes. There is no reason for coaches to do that. So, I always say this to you, as you mentioned that thing of pressure. For us, it is part of the job. If you have a chef, let me probably bring this idea in the kitchen. If you have a chef that is not able to cope with the heat environment in the kitchen, he cannot be a chef. He needs to cope with the heat environment in the kitchen. So, I don’t have any problems.
On ever considering quitting his job
I need to consult the dictionary because I don’t know the meaning of the word quit. So, next time I’ll ask and answer you.
On criticism about the selection of Thomas Partey in the squad
Well, it’s a simple and basic answer. As far as I know, in England, in Portugal, wherever we are living in this world, until the court makes a decision, the presumption of innocence is on the side of all court cases. But today, this is not only about Thomas, very unfortunately, the way social media and media sometimes act with full and total impunity, we are condemned even before we have the opportunity to defend ourselves. So, probably, if I have to make a comment about this modern world, it is about the way people express themselves with full impunity. You can say and do whatever you want and nobody will charge you. So, let the events run their normal course, let the river flow, and one day, when the river meets the ocean, we’re going to find the truth.
On Antoine having an amazing season at Manchester City
I have amazing admiration for him. But in public, I only talk particularly about one player that you did not mention. If you want, I can say what is my favourite player in our team. Do you want to know? My favourite player’s name is called team. So, if you want me to talk about the team, I’ll do it. I don’t talk about individuals. I leave that job to you guys to talk about the performance of my players.
On concerns selecting Thomas Partey
Look, four years ago in 2022, I faced much more difficult questions than when I was the national team coach. I don’t follow in that way. So, if the player is here with me, my answer is clear. So, I don’t have to make comments about my own decisions. So, he is here. The key point for me in my professional life is to keep everything that is poison or dust far away from the front lines. But unfortunately, as I said, today it’s really difficult to deal with everything that is on top of us, on top of the game. And to be honest with you, I think there are much more serious problems and issues in the world to talk about. And one thing that is clear is that this is not in my hands, it’s not in your hands, it’s not in the public’s judgement. This is not for you, for me, to make judgments about one situation that you don’t know, I don’t know, nobody knows. So, let the people that are in charge make the right decisions.
On perceived influence from authorities on player selection
Look at me nicely. Look at me nicely. I’m going to ask you for my answer to your question. You see my answer? If you don’t see me smiling, that’s my answer to you. That’s my answer to your question is a smile.
On Coaching against England at the last World Cup in Qatar – the difference between then and now
I don’t know my comments. I have so many issues to take care of about my team so that I don’t care about other things. I just care about studying the team like they are at the moment. That’s it. We play with different teams, different stats, different players. It will be a different pack for sure.
