Former Ghana Football Association Vice President George Afriyie believes the Black Stars have what it takes to defeat England when the two sides meet in a crucial Group L clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ghana head into the encounter full of confidence after opening their campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama at BMO Field in Toronto, courtesy of a late Caleb Yirenkyi winner.
England, meanwhile, also enjoyed a winning start to the tournament after defeating Croatia 4-2, setting up a top-of-the-table showdown at Gillette Stadium on June 23.
With a place in the knockout stages potentially at stake, Afriyie has urged Ghanaians not to be intimidated by England’s reputation on the international stage.
“We all know the pedigree of Portugal in international football, but if Congo can draw with Portugal, then Ghana can draw with England or even beat them,” Afriyie said.
The football administrator pointed to other results from the tournament as evidence that so-called smaller nations can compete with football’s traditional powerhouses.
“We all know the pedigree of Brazil, and if Morocco can draw with Brazil, then it can happen in the Ghana-England game as well,” he added.
Afriyie stressed that reputation alone does not win matches and believes the current Black Stars squad is capable of producing a memorable result against the Three Lions.
“Big names do not always guarantee results. We should not underestimate ourselves. England is beatable,” he said.
He also expressed confidence in the determination of Ghana’s players, insisting they are motivated to create history for the nation on football’s biggest stage.
“These young boys are determined to make history.”
A victory for either Ghana or England would secure qualification to the knockout phase, adding further significance to what promises to be one of the standout fixtures of the group stage.
