The Ghana Football Association sacked Otto Addo after the 2-1 defeat to Germany in Stuttgart in March’s International friendly game. Ghana had unacceptably lost 5-1 to Austria in Vienna before the narrow defeat to Germany. It was the fourth straight defeat for Ghana, having been beaten by Asian giants South Korea and Japan since qualifying for the World Cup. Ghanaians were worried about the senior national team’s performance, hence calling for Otto Addo to be sacked. The GFA obeyed their request and parted ways with the former Ghana midfielder as the head coach. A search for his replacement is underway, with information from the Ghana Football Association’s meeting on Tuesday evening revealing that three Portuguese coaches have been shortlisted for the role.
Carlos Queiroz
73-year-old Carlos Queiroz, who has coached Real Madrid and also served as assistant manager for five years under Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, has been mentioned. The veteran tactician has coached national teams like Portugal, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Colombia, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Qatar, making him a good candidate for the role.
Fernando Santos
71-year-old Fernando Santos is the first and only coach to win a major tournament (World Cup or Euro) for Portugal. He led the Selecao das Quinas to Euro 2016 triumph in France in an astonishing manner. Having also coached national teams like Greece, Poland, and Azerbaijan, Santos boast of a legendary profile, and his name is being considered by the Ghana Football Association.
Paulo Bento
Bento has been mentioned as the frontrunner for the vacant role. The youngest among the three, Paulo Bento’s career since 2004 has seen him manage Portugal, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates. The 56-year-old’s name is in the Ghanaian media that he is likely to win the battle for who becomes the head coach of Ghana in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It will be his third World Cup as a head coach, having taken Portugal and South Korea to the 2014 and 2022 tournaments in Russia and Qatar, respectively.
Who are the other names mentioned for Ghana’s head coach role?
James Kwesi Appiah
Ghanaian head coach James Kwesi Appiah, who is currently leading Sudan, is a name that some Ghanaians have been calling for. The 65-year-old has had two stints as the head coach of Ghana, taking the Black Stars to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Some sections of the FA want his return, while others do not.
Joaquim Low
Low led Germany for 15 years, where he took them to seven major tournaments, and he won the 2014 World Cup. The 66-year-old has been unemployed since leaving the German national team in 2021. Reports suggested that he was willing to accept a monthly salary of 150,000 euros for the role.
Pitso Mosimane
Probably the best African coach from sub-Saharan Africa since the turn of the 21st century. The 61-year-old head coach has won a whole lot, which makes him the right candidate for the role. Pitso recently won two CAF Champions League titles with Al Ahly, having already won one for Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016. The South African tactician coached South Africa between 2010 and 2012 but has not had any international job after leaving the role.
Walid Regragui
The Moroccan head coach, who is the first and only coach to have taken any African side to the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup. He led Morocco to the semi-final of the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Regragui, on paper, is an African champion, having taken the Atlas Lions to the 2025 AFCON finals. The head coach initially denied all the rumours linking him to the Ghana job. Walid Regragui, 50, parted ways with Morocco, shocking, after the AFCON 2025.
