Home/Articles/FC
FC·PREVIEW·June 23, 2026 09:22 AM ET

BBC Sport flags five Ghana players for England to watch in World Cup meeting

Semenyo and Ayew headline Ghana's threats to England.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jun 232 min read
Post on X
FC

What happened: England prepare to face Ghana in a World Cup fixture with both nations chasing a place in the next round. BBC Sport singled out five Ghana players England should be wary of, headlined by Manchester City winger Antoine Semenyo and 34-year-old captain Jordan Ayew, who became Ghana's record cap-holder in their opening match. The list also features Nordsjaelland midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi, Coventry City forward Brandon Thomas-Asante and Atalanta winger Kamaldeen Sulemana.

Why it matters: Ghana endured a chaotic build-up, sacking coach Otto Addo before bringing in the experienced Carlos Queiroz, yet a late win over Panama has revived belief in a first knockout-stage run since their 2010 quarter-final. For England, neutralizing Ghana's pace and Semenyo's two-footed end product looms as the defining challenge in a game that could shape both sides' path through the tournament.

By the numbers: Semenyo arrived fresh off scoring 17 goals across spells at Bournemouth and Manchester City in 2025-26, third in the Premier League Golden Boot race, and is genuinely two-footed (103 left-foot shots to 95 right-foot over two seasons) despite just three goals in 35 Ghana caps. Ayew holds the national record with 121 caps and 34 goals, including 14 in his past 22 appearances and seven in 10 World Cup qualifiers. Yirenkyi, 20, scored a 94th-minute winner against Panama and led Denmark's top flight for final-third possession won (26) and ball recoveries (205) in 2025-26.

What to watch: Watch whether Queiroz fields his pace-heavy front line and how England set up to contain Semenyo and Ghana's counterattacks once the teams are confirmed.

Sources

More on AFC Bournemouth

CONVERSATION
Loading comments…
SoccerPreviewEnglandGhanaManchester CityAntoine SemenyoJordan Ayew
WR Pro
The day's sports, briefed to your inbox at 7am ET. Every claim sourced.
$9/monthFree weekly newsletter →
RELATED STORIES
← Back to Wire Report