Derrick Luckassen etched his name into Ghana’s FIFA World Cup history after becoming just the second defender to score for the Black Stars at the tournament. The centre-back found the net in Ghana’s 2-1 defeat to Croatia in their final Group L match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, joining Mohammed Salisu as the only Ghanaian defenders to score on football’s biggest stage.
Luckassen’s goal came in the second half when he equalised for Ghana after Croatia had taken the lead. The strike briefly revived the Black Stars’ hopes before Nikola Vlašić restored Croatia’s advantage with a late winner, condemning Ghana to a narrow 2-1 defeat.
Before Luckassen’s landmark goal, the only Ghanaian defender to score at a FIFA World Cup was Mohammed Salisu, who netted against South Korea during Ghana’s thrilling 3-2 victory at the 2022 tournament in Qatar. That goal ended a long wait for a defender to score for the Black Stars at the World Cup, and Luckassen has now joined that exclusive list.
Although his historic goal was not enough to prevent defeat, it marked a memorable personal milestone for the defender. Luckassen’s composure in front of goal highlighted his attacking threat from set pieces and added another significant chapter to Ghana’s World Cup history, even as Croatia claimed all three points with a 2-1 victory.
