Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has delivered a powerful message of resilience and belief ahead of the Black Stars’ pivotal 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L encounter with England, insisting that his previous heavy defeat to the Three Lions was not a setback but an invaluable learning experience.
Addressing journalists during his pre-match press conference, the veteran Portuguese manager was reminded of Iran’s 6-2 loss to England at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a match in which he was on the losing bench.
Rather than dwell on the scoreline, Queiroz offered a philosophical response that reflected his decades of experience in international football.
“I was not defeated. In football, we never lose. We win or we learn. We learnt a couple of lessons that day,” Queiroz said.
The 73-year-old now has the opportunity to put those lessons into practice as he leads Ghana into one of the standout fixtures of the group stage.
The Black Stars head into Tuesday’s contest in high spirits after securing a dramatic 1-0 victory over Panama in their opening match, while England began their campaign with an entertaining 4-2 win over Croatia.
Although he acknowledged the quality and pedigree of Thomas Tuchel’s side, Queiroz expressed confidence that Ghana possesses the tactical discipline and organisation needed to compete with the European giants.
“We know how England play. They have excellent players; they have the experience of their Premier League. They have intensity, but we know how we can control this,” he stated.
The former Portugal, South Africa, Colombia and Iran coach also rallied the Ghanaian nation with a memorable statement that underscored his belief in the collective strength and passion behind the Black Stars.
“They have three lions, but we have 33 million lions.”
His comments are expected to resonate with supporters back home and across the diaspora as Ghana aim to secure a result that could significantly boost their chances of progressing beyond the group stage for the first time since their historic quarter-final run at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
With momentum on their side and confidence growing within the squad, Queiroz and his players will be hoping to transform lessons from the past into success on football’s biggest stage and take another giant step toward the knockout rounds.
