Black Stars captain Jordan Ayew has thrown his support behind Carlos Queiroz to remain as Ghana’s head coach, insisting the Portuguese tactician is the right man to guide the national team despite their exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ghana’s campaign came to an end following a 1-0 defeat to Colombia in the Round of 32, with Jhon Arias scoring the decisive goal in the 14th minute after ghosting in at the back post to convert a low cross beyond goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi.
Although the result ended the Black Stars’ hopes of matching or surpassing their famous quarterfinal run at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Ghana left the tournament with renewed optimism after reaching the knockout stage for the first time in 16 years.
Much of that optimism has been credited to Queiroz, who took charge of the team less than two months before the tournament after replacing Otto Addo. Despite the limited preparation time, the experienced Portuguese coach reorganised the side and guided Ghana through a difficult group stage before eventually falling to one of South America’s strongest teams.
The 73-year-old coach was given a short-term contract to lead the Ghana to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and after Ghana have exited the tournament, his tenure seems to have ended pending further action from the Ghana Football Association.
Ayew Backs Queiroz to Continue
Speaking in the mixed zone after the defeat, Jordan Ayew praised Queiroz’s impact on the squad and argued that continuity would benefit Ghana as they prepare for future competitions, including the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and the qualification campaign for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
The captain also revealed what the coach told them after the defeat. “He just congratulated us and was being positive,” Ayew said of the coach’s message to the players after the match.
The former Leicester City forward acknowledged the challenges of taking over a national team shortly before a major tournament, stressing that Queiroz deserved more time to fully implement his ideas.
“He’s done a great job. To come in, it’s not easy. I’ve been in the game for a while now to know that sometimes you need five months or six months to understand your ways. He came in and after a month or two we started implementing what he asked us to do.”
Jordan Ayew, Black Stars Captain
Ayew admitted there were moments when Ghana’s performances dipped but insisted the overall progress was evident. “We kind of worked well at some point, but at some point we fell short,” he said before adding that the coach “definitely needs more time.“
‘He’s the Right Person’
The Black Stars skipper made it clear that his support for Queiroz was based on what he believes is best for Ghanaian football rather than any personal relationship with the coach. “I personally hope he stays because I think, not for me or him, I just feel like he’s the right person to take us to the next level and to the next step,” Ayew explained.
The 34-year-old, who featured in all four of Ghana’s matches at the tournament, said he regretted that the coach’s first World Cup with the Black Stars ended in the Round of 32. “I wish he could have had a better ending, but let’s see what happens in the future.”
Queiroz is one of international football’s most experienced managers, having previously coached Portugal, Iran, Colombia, Egypt and Qatar, while also serving as assistant coach at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson.
His reputation has largely been built on creating disciplined, defensively organised teams capable of competing against higher-ranked opponents.
Under his guidance, Ghana rediscovered much of their tactical discipline during the World Cup, progressing beyond the group stage for the first time since South Africa 2010 before their campaign was halted by Colombia.
Ayew Leaves International Future Open
Ayew also refused to be drawn into discussions about his own future with the national team following the defeat. “I don’t know. Let’s see,” he said when asked whether he would continue representing Ghana.
He has been part of the Black Stars set up since 2010 when he made his debut against Eswatini (then Swaziland) in the qualifiers for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, a game Ghana won 3-0. He has since gone to amass 124 appearances and scored 33 times for the national team.
The experienced forward explained that immediately after such a painful elimination, the focus should remain on the team’s overall performance rather than individual decisions.
“My future is not important. The most important thing is the boys, what they did, and to analyse what went wrong and what went well.”
Jordan Ayew
Ayew also expressed confidence in Ghana’s emerging generation of players, although he declined to single out any individual for praise. “I don’t want to call names, but we have quality players and we just need to have more belief in ourselves that we can do it.”
The captain concluded by saying he would now take time to recover before making any decisions about the next chapter of his career. “For me, what is important now is to go on holidays, just rest and see what’s next.”
While Ghana’s World Cup journey ended earlier than they had hoped, Ayew’s endorsement of Queiroz is likely to add weight to discussions over the Portuguese coach’s future.
After restoring belief within the squad and guiding the Black Stars back into the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time since 2010, many will now be watching to see whether the Ghana Football Association entrusts Queiroz with leading the next phase of the team’s rebuilding process.
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