Ghana head coach says his side will lean on national identity, discipline, and unity rather than past results when they face England on Tuesday, declaring we have 33 million lions to fight as Group L top spot goes on the line at Boston Stadium. Speaking a day before Ghana meet England with both teams on three points, the coach framed the match as a clash of football cultures and identities, not history.
Here is a transcript from the press conference:
On happenings since our win over Panama
I just wish that you can enjoy this World Cup as I've been doing as well. And saying that, here we go. We have a great match in front of us, just one more great match. This is what we're looking for during all our lives, to be in the right environment, in the right moment, the right time to play against the best players in the world, with the best players in the world as well from Ghana. So, it's an honour. I cannot have words to express how much we are enthusiastic and the joy that we feel inside us to be here tomorrow.
On lessons since last defeat to England in the World Cup
football, we never lose. We win or we learn. We learned a couple of lessons in that day, especially, unfortunately, in a very special moment for the team that I was coaching in that moment. Probably it is in your memories. It was a great storm and environment around our game. But I don't want to talk about that anymore because it is history. It's another game. Old games are different. It's a different team on the pitch. Different environment. Yes, the reputation and the prestige of results in the past, they are significant when they are written in the press, but they cannot win games. The memories and the reputation, they don't win games. So tomorrow it will be another story.
On what Ghana should do hurt England
This is very simple for me. We play the competition by points at the moment. It is not the competition, everything for the winner, nothing for the loser. So, what we are doing is we finish the first part of a game. We are fine, we are ahead. Now we are going to play the second part of the game and we still have the third part. What is important at the end of the three parts of a game is to have the points to qualify the team for the second round of the competition. So, we have to study the opponents that are ahead of us.
On England
England has its strengths, its characteristics. We have ours. The most important thing is that we are not going to lose our identity because we want to add points to get to the qualification. And we know what the characteristics of the England team are. Good players with an experience of premiership that is very important, very competitive, intensity. But we also know how to control these situations and we will try to do it by putting all our strength on the field. Knowing that it is a team that comes with three lions here in the shirt, but we come from Ghana and we have 33 million lions to fight. That's what we're going to do.
On return of Thomas Partey
Along my life, I never talk individually about players. I only talk about one specific player in my team, which is the team. My team in the last game was resilient, was playing with discipline, with full concentration with only one thing in mind, fight for the win. As I always say, we have to find a way to win, find a way to win. Panama was one game, now it's a different game. We're going to introduce a couple of different players in the starting line-up. My favourite player, which is the team, I hope will be better. We'll be able to progress. With the player that you mentioned, or whatever it is, another player, the only one player that I'm concerned that will progress and be better is the team. I am full confident that the starting line-up tomorrow will be strong, enthusiastic, with a lot of motivation to get the result that we need to move forward.
On working in England and thoughts on Thomas Tuchel’s team
I didn't spend time in England. I win time in England. It was a wonderful time for me, those years. The game, the modern game, is changing. Who could say that a German coach will coach the English team. Everything is changing in the game. Great coach, great players. I know, because I've been there, as you said, what will be the profile and the style of the team when they start to play against us. It is amazing because it is unique. It is the English style that comes from premiership. But it is not the only football culture in the world. They are not the only football culture in the world. We respect them. I was there; I respect them. But we have different cultures, identities in the football world. The beauty of the game is exactly when you put these cultures face-to-face to understand how we can beat each other. And this is exactly what we are going to see tomorrow.
On Ghana’s football DNA
One African style team. I cannot change the DNA. t was a mistake if I changed the DNA of African players on the pitch. They should be themselves. They should enjoy to express the way they like, they see, they feel football. And of course the English team will do the same. At the end, I hope upstairs, God be on our side with our best football.
On African teams in this World Cup
Teams that are really pure identity with local education and growing up in Africa in that environment, or African boys that are born in Europe, in other places in the world. They have a different approach of training mentality. This is the evolution, the progress of the game. Before, you're right, we have African teams, European teams, but this world is not anymore about four or five identities. We have now mixed identities, Afro-Americans, Europe, Africa. And this is what we can see today when we see Ghana or Senegal or these teams playing. It is not anymore a pure African team, but it is a mixed identity of schools, experiences, different coaches. But at the end, that DNA that is based on the born environment is still there. So, I always believe that, and I've been saying this, the potential of African football in terms of teams is still under delivery.
On potential in Africa
We have in Africa more potential than the results that we are getting. But that is another story for lack of sometimes conditions and infrastructures and all that stuff. But what African football is taking benefit of is exactly when these players move to different environments, they get that experience and they can perform better. This is what we are seeing now in 2026. We hope that in a few years' time, these born players in Africa can have more opportunities to express themselves in the local environment.
On motivation
I think we have a game tomorrow against England, right? We should talk about that, about the game against England. These are the easiest ones. Because when you have a game against England, against France, against Germany, your players don't need to say anything. They are completely motivated, enthusiastic, excited. These are the easiest ones. Because everyone is completely alert. Everyone wants to do well. Everyone wants to show their football. What we have to do in these games is to moderate the enthusiasm to do well. And above all, to be together. This is the most important thing tomorrow to play against England. No matter what happens in the game, we have to be together. We have to fight together. We have to move forward together. We have to attack as a team, defend as a team. And 90 minutes. Because this is the strength and experience of the players of England. They fight and have the ability to play 90 minutes. Because of their background in the competition, they do. We sometimes have some breaking points, some moments that temper the game. But when you play against England, you have to be ready to play 90 minutes. Very fast, very intense. Because that's their style. And we have to be in the game for 90 minutes. With all the intensity. So, I tell you, it's the easiest in terms of motivation. But the most difficult when you have to start running.
On being at the World on five occasions
I don't remember how many games. What it means for me is a risk. To look back at everything I've done in my life. And feel satisfied. That's what I don't want. For me, I'm fighting for the sixth, seventh World Cup. To stay with all the motivation, with all the energy. Because sometimes in life, when we look back, we feel good, satisfied. And we can't transmit to the players the desire, the energy that is necessary to win. And I don't want that for me. I want to think about the future, tomorrow. Of course, I feel very honoured. Football has given me a great privilege. But it's not enough for me. I want more. I want to get further.
On winning mentality
The winning team is mentally strong. It's very explosive, very determined. And they have a lot of quality. And the challenge we have in front of us tomorrow, as I said before, is to be together. To play together. To have the ability to attack as a team, to defend as a team. The mistake we can make against tomorrow's game is to split up into two or three groups and not make a game that is penetrated, focused and compact. We won't do that. Because the team has shown that they started to play with organisation, with discipline. Because, contrary to what people sometimes think, the more organised and disciplined the team is, the more freedom you have to play. Freedom comes from discipline. The more discipline, the more risk, the more freedom. The more you can fly high. That's what I want the players to have in mind tomorrow. To play with organisation, with discipline, but ready to fly all the time.
On Ghanaian players in the Premier League
It helps. It's better to have some who have this experience than none. And it's with the experience of some that we're going to get together. To have a team with more cohesion to play against England. But we also have many players who play in France, in the first division, in Spain. That's enough for us to play. As I said before, the most interesting thing is to see two or three identities, two or three cultures expressing their football tomorrow. That's the beauty of the World Cup. It's seeing different identities, different cultures, different ways of thinking about football and playing football. But in the end, it's the same charm of football. In the end, it's the same charm of football. You want to win.
On Semenyo
I answered that question, I guess, before. For me, it's just the team. In terms of public comments, I only make comments about the team. Of course, from the training and preparation point of view, my job is to be sure that I place the players in the right position in the right moment and talk with them and make them believe and understand what are the roles that they have. But for me, it is what can the players do for the team, not what the team can do for the players. Simple like that.
On England beating Iran four years ago and its effect
No. Why should it affect our preparation? You mentioned that they beat us in that circumstance, but as far as I can tell, at least ten results of England that they also lost. They lost again to Portugal in the European Championship. So, is that game affecting this preparation? This is history. This is past. Football is tomorrow, a different game. Enjoying all the time different experiences. Of course, as I said, as a great man said, in life we should always have the right attitude knowing that we win or we learn. So, we have a great challenge tomorrow. We know it is an important game for both teams. One of the teams on the pitch is probably in the list to be a candidate to win the World Cup. So, the full responsibilities of the game are on top of our opponents. But we don't escape from our dreams, goals and responsibilities. We want to win the game. One thing is sure. When the game starts, we play to win, England play to win. They come left, we stop them left and we go right. If they go in the air, we stop in the air and go down. If they go down, we use the submarines. The submarines are our force. We have to fight for 90 minutes. We have to play the game that is in front of us.
On trying to win
They're going to try to win. We're going to do exactly the same during 90 minutes with the same spirit, with the same fighting attitude. At the end of the game, what is important for me is that when the game finishes, my players come out with their heads up and make the fans proud of them. They play for the prestige and the reputation of the country. When they come, they must be proud of themselves, of their families, of their friends, of the shirt they wear. We leave the results in the hands of God.
On relationship with Ghanaian fans and how much it means
I just arrived a couple of months ago to Ghana, as you know. My commitment to the fans is a commitment to my daily work every day with the team, to improve the team, to make them better, to make them express better football. Because the moment the team performs well on the pitch, the fans are happy. The moment the fans are happy, they are happy with me. I don't have any doubts about that. It makes sense for a coach to spend time with blah, blah, blah, talking, selling and delivering beautiful words. If you're not able to deliver the only medicine that works in football, which are results and wins, you can never be in the heart of the fans. You win the heart of the fans when you deliver on the pitch. It's not about me. I'm not here to be concerned with my personal skills or my personal behaviour. I'm here to produce results. Results mean happiness. Happiness means a good relationship with the fans.
On Ati-Zigi
We're going to make a decision tomorrow. He's still in treatment. Today was much better. But the decision will be made tomorrow, after the final medical assessment.
On what Ghanaians should expect
Trust me. Huge entertainment on the pitch. Huge entertainment. That's our job. To create entertainment. We belong to the entertainment business. This is our duty and our obligation on behalf of Ghana to create entertainment. The English team is going to do the same. We're going to fight, we're going to play, we're going to enjoy. It will be a wonderful game. I guarantee you there will be memories and hearts of people after the game finishes.
On how to hurt England
I tell you this answer now, I'm sure they're going to know. They're going to follow my words. With all due respect, if you want to know, we have a private conversation. It's fine, you promise you don't tell them. But we'll see tomorrow. Just be a little bit more patient. And we'll see tomorrow how we're going to come out with our line-up and our strategic approach to the game. So, I will not fall in the trap to give them some answers yet today.
On hydration breaks
To make it brief, I answered this question two or three times, and I summarised my answer. Let the World Cup finish. Make an integrity report about what happened during these games. Study. Make the right conclusions. And at the end of the World Cup, we have to be sure if that decision is made to protect the health of the players or it is made to open space for marketing activities. No matter what the final conclusion will be, there is one thing that is clear in the modern game. We have to live together.
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