Former Ghana international Daniel Opare believes the Ghana national football team must focus on building stronger team chemistry rather than relying solely on individual talent if they are to succeed at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Black Stars secured one of Africa’s automatic qualification spots and are preparing for their fifth appearance at the World Cup, where they have been drawn in Group L alongside the England national football team, Croatia national football team, and the Panama national football team.
Despite the squad boasting several talented players competing at top clubs around the world, Opare believes Ghana’s biggest challenge is creating a unified and consistent team identity.
Speaking in an interview with JoySports, the former Black Stars full-back stressed that talent alone is not enough to win major tournaments.
“We have incredible talent in the team — fantastic players — but I believe we need to focus on building a proper team,” Opare said.
“Sometimes you can have talent without having a team. We need to keep these players together for a long time so they can understand each other and build chemistry on and off the pitch.”
Daniel Opare warned that constant changes to the squad could damage progress, making it difficult for the team to establish stability and cohesion.
“If we keep changing players the way we change our clothes, it won’t help. Every time that happens, we break the team instead of building cohesion,” he explained.
“We need to maintain the core group, support them, encourage them, and give them time to grow together. That’s the only way we can truly build a strong team.”
The 35-year-old, who retired from football in 2025, made 19 appearances for Ghana and was part of the country’s successful youth generation that won the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
His comments come at a crucial time as new Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz begins preparations for the World Cup, with the Portuguese tactician expected to focus heavily on discipline, structure, and team unity.
Ghana will begin their World Cup campaign against Panama national football team on June 17, before taking on England national football team on June 23, and concluding their group-stage matches against Croatia national football team on June 27.
For the Black Stars, the message from Opare is clear: great players can win matches, but a strong team can win tournaments.