‘He brought positivity to camp’ – Lawrence Ati-Zigi backs Carlos Queiroz to continue as Black Stars coach

Black Stars goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi has thrown his support behind Carlos Queiroz to remain as Ghana’s head coach, insisting the Portuguese trainer brought a positive atmosphere and valuable influence to the national team.

Queiroz was appointed in April on a short-term contract after the Ghana Football Association parted ways with Otto Addo, leaving the experienced coach with limited time to prepare the Black Stars for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Although Ghana’s tournament ended at the Round of 32 stage, uncertainty remains over Queiroz’s future following mixed reports surrounding his position after the competition.

The 73-year-old sparked speculation with a social media message thanking Ghana and reflecting on the World Cup journey, which many interpreted as a resignation announcement. However, Queiroz later clarified that he had not officially stepped down and remained in charge.

Ati-Zigi, who featured in two matches under Queiroz during Ghana’s World Cup campaign, admitted he is not fully aware of the coach’s contractual situation but believes keeping him could be beneficial for the Black Stars.

“I don’t know about his contract situation, but I feel he is a great coach, and I love how he brought about the positivity in camp. If the leadership wants him to stay, it will be a good decision,” Ati-Zigi told Sporty FM.

Under Queiroz, Ghana showed signs of improvement at the World Cup despite failing to progress beyond the first knockout round.

The Black Stars opened their campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Panama before securing a memorable goalless draw against England in their second group match.

A 2-1 defeat to Croatia in their final Group L fixture saw Ghana finish third but still qualify for the Round of 32, where their journey ended following a 1-0 loss to Colombia after Jhon Arias scored the decisive goal.

Ati-Zigi believes the positive environment created by Queiroz was one of the major factors that helped the team compete on football’s biggest stage despite their limited preparation time.

Ghana will now shift attention towards the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, which begin in September, as the Black Stars aim to return to the continental tournament after missing the previous edition.

The four-time African champions have been drawn in Group C alongside Ivory Coast, Somalia and Rwanda, with the team looking to rebuild confidence and secure qualification under a stable technical direction.