Former Manchester United defender and Salford City co-owner Gary Neville has paid tribute to Ghana international Brandon Thomas-Asante, praising the striker’s inspiring rise from the lower tiers of English football to the grand stage of the FIFA World Cup.
Speaking on the “Stick to Football” podcast, Neville reflected on Thomas-Asante’s journey and expressed delight at seeing the forward represent Ghana on football’s biggest stage.
“I love Brandon Thomas-Asante. He used to play for Salford. He deserves it. He deserves it, he’s good,” Neville said.
Thomas-Asante’s career path has been anything but conventional. After being released by Milton Keynes Dons as a teenager, the striker was given a fresh opportunity at Salford City through a trial period, where he quickly impressed coaches and club officials.
Neville recalled how former Salford figures Chris Casper and Warren Joyce were instrumental in identifying the forward’s potential and pushing for his signing.
“He was at Milton Keynes Dons and got released. I think he was 18 or 19. We were setting up our B team and we had trials. Warren Joyce was basically taking over our B team and he said, ‘you’ve got to sign that lad now,’” Neville revealed.
The former England international also remembered Thomas-Asante’s explosive start at Salford, where his goalscoring exploits immediately caught the attention of those at the club.
“I remember going on holiday to Greece in August and we’d started the season. I think he’d scored five or six in eight games. He was on fire. He was ripping up teams,” Neville added.
Since leaving Salford, Thomas-Asante has continued his upward trajectory, earning moves to West Bromwich Albion and later Coventry City, while also establishing himself as a key member of Ghana’s national team.
Neville believes the striker’s success story highlights the importance of giving talented players opportunities to develop and prove themselves.
“He’ll be in the Premier League this year. He got Ghana in a World Cup,” Neville said.
Thomas-Asante once again demonstrated his value to the Black Stars during their opening Group L fixture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Introduced from the bench against Panama, the Coventry City forward made an immediate impact, providing the assist for Caleb Yirenkyi’s dramatic stoppage-time winner in Ghana’s 1-0 victory.
His contribution helped Ghana secure a crucial three points in their tournament opener and further underlined the remarkable journey that has taken him from non-league football to the world’s biggest sporting stage.
