Black Stars left-back Gideon Mensah has expressed gratitude for the guidance of captain Andre Ayew, whose support helped him overcome pre-game nerves ahead of his World Cup debut against South Korea in Qatar.
Mensah, who was on the bench during Ghana’s opener against Portugal, made his tournament debut in the second match, where Ayew’s pep talk proved instrumental.
Recalling the moment, Mensah shared, “During the warm-up, Andre Ayew came over and we stood head to head. He told me, ‘This is your moment—everyone’s watching, and you can’t let them down.'” Inspired by Ayew’s words, Mensah delivered a strong performance, contributing to Ghana’s crucial 3-2 win over South Korea.
Mensah, who debuted for Ghana in 2019, now has 19 caps and continues to be a regular in the national squad. Despite Ghana’s eventual exit after a loss to Uruguay, the 26-year-old reflects on the World Cup as a major stepping stone in his career.
