Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz expressed satisfaction with several aspects of the Black Stars performance after their 1-1 draw against Wales in Cardiff on Tuesday, despite conceding a late equalizer. The Portuguese tactician believes the display offered plenty of encouragement ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, especially considering he has spent only a short period working with the squad.
Reflecting on the match, Queiroz described it as an entertaining contest and praised both teams for their commitment. He noted that Wales staged the fixture as part of their 150th anniversary celebrations and felt supporters were rewarded with an exciting game.
“First of all, I think it was a very exciting and very good match. This was Wales’ goal — to bring this game as part of their 150-year celebration. I think the fans must be happy with the football they saw. Both teams tried to win. Very active.
“I’m very proud of my players. They gave everything to win the game. We let it slip in the last minutes. It was in our pocket. But this is also time to learn. We don’t learn from the draw itself, but we learn that when we are winning 1-0, there is no way we can let it slip from our pocket. Unfortunately, it happens. We did good things. I was happy with the players and the performance. Some players were playing together for the first time. We must remember this was only the first full training session with the whole team together.”
The former Real Madrid boss stressed that Ghana can still improve in key attacking moments. According to him, the players must make decisions quicker in the final third and show greater confidence when opportunities arise.
“We know that when our players have to make decisions, they could do it faster, more efficiently, and with more confidence — especially when we go forward and have opportunities to attack. Today, we still saw moments where they could go, but they lost a fraction of a second on the forward pass and we had to start everything again. With more training, more effort, and better chemistry, they will be more confident to make those decisions to go forward.”
Looking ahead to the World Cup, Queiroz insisted the team’s sole focus is securing qualification from the group stage. He described Ghana’s opening three matches as one continuous challenge that must be navigated successfully before attention shifts to the knockout rounds.
“Let’s leave the future in God’s hands. The most important thing for us now is to focus on the World Cup. We have one major goal. We have to play one game with three parts of 90 minutes. Every part is 90 minutes — 90, 90, 90. At the end of 270 minutes, we must be guaranteed qualification for the second round. That is the main goal and the main priority.”
Queiroz also singled out midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi for praise, describing the youngster as a player with immense potential and a bright future in the national team setup.
“He is a great player. He has a great future. He is still young and has a lot to learn. At this level, everything is so fast. Young players need talent and experience. I believe that with more experience, he can become one of the best players in the national team.”
The coach explained that preparations for the Wales match were far from ideal. Several players arrived late because of visa issues, while others joined camp after completing club commitments. As a result, the squad only trained together fully for the first time on the eve of the game.
“They only arrived from London yesterday after sorting out visa issues. We’ve been training with nine to eleven players, and only yesterday did we have one full training session. We assembled the team and I asked them to do a couple of simple things.”
Despite those challenges, Queiroz was pleased with how closely his players followed tactical instructions. He highlighted the strong partnership between his central defenders and said the team now has a solid platform to build on before the tournament begins.
“To be straightforward: what pleased me most was the way the players responded to my instructions and the game plan. They were excellent. They followed, respected, and trusted the plan. Just one example — the centre-backs cooperated very well. They were brilliant. They followed the basic rules: calm, confident. So, we have a good starting point.”
The experienced coach also defended his team’s approach without the ball. He argued that football is ultimately about winning matches rather than dominating possession statistics.
“That’s the name of the game, my friend. I’ve seen many great teams — from Bayern Munich to others — win with 70% possession. But the game is not about possession. The game is about the skill to put the ball in the net, defend your goal, and win the game.
“If we have 80% possession and lose, I don’t care. I go mad if we attack 80% and lose. If we defend 80% — quality defending, eyes on the ball, always looking to score — and we win, I’m happy.”
Queiroz reiterated that success remains the ultimate objective because national teams are judged by results and the joy they bring to supporters.
“We play to make them happy. If we don’t win, they’re not happy. We cannot be happy, no matter how attacking or beautiful we play, if we don’t win.”
The Ghana coach also addressed the reaction directed at Thomas Partey during the match. He voiced concerns about modern public discourse and insisted that individuals should not be judged before legal processes are completed.
“I’m not surprised. We live in a weird world. Nobody should be judged or condemned before a court makes a decision. The presumption of innocence must apply to everyone.”
As preparations continue, Queiroz confirmed that Ghana will maximise every available training session after arriving in the United States. He also revealed that the Black Stars will play one more friendly before opening their World Cup campaign against Panama.
“Yes, we will play one more game in the United States before we face Panama.”
The Portuguese coach emphasised the importance of maintaining close relationships with his players and building chemistry within the squad ahead of the tournament.
“I need to be close to them; they need to be close to me. We need straightforward cooperation — open mind, open heart — to improve and progress.”
Finally, Queiroz admitted disappointment at failing to secure victory against Wales but insisted the result provides valuable lessons ahead of the World Cup. He acknowledged that better game management in the closing moments could have preserved the lead.
“You’re right, we did not win. We know that. We are the first ones unhappy because our wish was to start this journey with a win. But it’s also a challenge. To win, you have to score at least one goal. Today it didn’t happen. We have to admit it, accept it, and make it better.”
Ghana will now continue preparations in the United States as the Black Stars turn their attention to their opening 2026 FIFA World Cup group match against Panama.
