Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz believes Colombia have some weakness that the Black Stars can exploit when the two sides meet in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup.
Colombia are yet to lose a game at the tournament and were surprises winners of Group K, which had European heavyweights and one of the favourites to win the World Cup Portugal.
Queiroz, who is Portuguese, coached Colombia between 2019 and 2020, and admits the South Americans have a good team but remains confident of Ghana’s chances.
“Well, it’s true that I know the team well, the Colombian players. It’s also our obligation to study today’s Colombia, not yesterday’s Colombia. And we are aware of all the qualities of the team’s players at the moment. The team reminds me a bit of my Colombia at the Copa America,” he said at the pre-match presser.
“It’s a good team, but we also have players with a lot of quality. And a very strong team, with a lot of determination. And what we have to do is play in our style, in our positive strengths, against the weaker points of Colombia. There are no perfect teams, there aren’t. Colombia is not perfect, it’s a great team, but it’s not perfect. We are a great team; we are not perfect,” he added.
For the Mozambique-born Portuguese coach, the Black Stars cannot afford to make mistakes against a highly-motivated Colombian side.
“But tomorrow is a game where there is no room for mistakes. There are no tomorrows. We have to do everything right for 90 minutes. And that’s it, 120 minutes, if that’s the case. And that’s what will happen. We don’t have to create a lot of fantasy and speculate about the game. It’s a great football game, we know that it’s all for the winner, nothing for the loser,’ he continued.
“So, there is a change of attitude during the game, because that creates a lot of pressure. But the pressure of a game like this is not a problem, it’s a privilege. It’s a privilege to be here, to play against great players from Colombia, great players from Ghana, on the stage of the best football in the world. So, tomorrow’s pressure is part of our lives, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
