Black Stars captain Jordan Ayew has expressed confidence ahead of Ghana’s crucial Group L clash against England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, promising that the team will give everything to make the nation proud.
The experienced forward believes Ghana are fully prepared for one of their toughest tests of the tournament as they seek to build on their opening victory over Panama and move closer to qualification for the knockout stage.
Positive Mood in Black Stars Camp
Ghana head into the highly anticipated encounter in high spirits following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama in their opening group match.
A late strike from Caleb Yirenkyi secured all three points for Carlos Queiroz’s side, giving the Black Stars the perfect start to their World Cup campaign.
Speaking to reporters ahead of Tuesday’s showdown, Ayew revealed that confidence remains high within the squad, but stressed that the players are staying focused on the bigger objective.
“It has been positive, and it has been good. Everyone is ready for the next game. We’ve won just one game, and we are not yet done,” Ayew said.
“We still have two more important games to play. We want to ensure that we do our best, enjoy ourselves and get positive results.”
Ayew Ready for England Challenge
The Leicester City forward acknowledged the quality of England but insisted that playing against elite opposition is what the World Cup is all about.
England are considered one of the favourites to progress from Group L, but Ayew believes Ghana have what it takes to compete on the biggest stage.
“It’s going to be a tough game, and we all know that. That’s why we are at the World Cup — you have to play against the best teams,” he said.
“We are ready for the challenge, and we are going to do our best to make ourselves proud and make our country and families proud.”
No Easy Matches at the World Cup
Reflecting on Ghana’s opening victory against Panama, Ayew noted that every match at the World Cup presents unique challenges regardless of the opponent.
The Black Stars had to remain patient before finding the breakthrough, and the captain expects another demanding contest against England.
“There are no easy games at the World Cup. Every game is difficult because you play against the best teams.”
“Obviously, it was a difficult game against Panama, but in the end, we got the three points, and that’s the most important thing.”
“Now we are playing against England, and it’s going to be really difficult, but we will see what happens. We will put on a show and make everybody proud.”
Ghana Eye Knockout Stage Qualification
A positive result against England would significantly boost Ghana’s chances of reaching the Round of 32 and could even secure qualification before the final group game depending on other results.
The Black Stars will conclude their Group L campaign against Croatia on June 27 as they aim to reach the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time since their historic quarter-final run in South Africa in 2010.
With captain Jordan Ayew leading from the front and confidence growing within the squad, Ghana will be hoping to produce another memorable performance when they face England in one of the standout fixtures of the group stage
