French football legend Marcel Desailly has tipped Ghana to become one of the surprise teams of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expressing confidence in the quality within the Black Stars squad ahead of the tournament.
The former France captain, who was born in Accra, believes Ghana possess the talent needed to compete with some of the world’s best teams if they can maintain unity and embrace the philosophy of head coach Carlos Queiroz.
Desailly pointed out that African nations often face challenges beyond the pitch, particularly issues related to squad harmony, player hierarchy and internal dynamics. However, he believes Queiroz’s vast experience at both club and international level could help Ghana overcome those obstacles.
“There are some very good players who are first choice in the Premier League and in other leagues,” Desailly told Flashscore.
The 1998 World Cup winner added that Ghana have the potential to join the continent’s leading contenders at the tournament.
“I am hoping that Ghana will be with Morocco, Senegal and Ivory Coast as the surprises of this World Cup,” he said.
Desailly also urged the Black Stars to focus on building confidence and eliminating distractions that could hinder their progress.
“Ghana could be one of the surprises if they start very well with confidence and a good philosophy from Queiroz and kill all the things that I’ve said before: the egos and the older player problems,” he added.
The comments come as Ghana seek to bounce back from recent disappointments, including their failure to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Black Stars have been drawn in Group L alongside Panama, England and Croatia. Ghana will begin their World Cup campaign against Panama before taking on England and Croatia as they aim to reach the knockout stages for the first time since their memorable quarter-final run in 2010.