Carlos Queiroz has issued a strong message to Ghana’s players, officials, and supporters ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting that discipline, sacrifice, and teamwork must take priority over individual interests if the Black Stars are to succeed on football’s biggest stage.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on the Ghana Football Association’s Beyond The Whistle podcast, the experienced Portuguese tactician stressed that no player or official would be allowed to place personal ambition above the national team.
“Nobody will be above the team,” Queiroz declared. “Everybody must play with only one thing in mind — Ghana, the pride of the nation and the happiness of the people.”
The former Portugal, Iran, and Egypt coach said success at the World Cup cannot be achieved through slogans or emotion alone, but through discipline, preparation, and sacrifice.
“It’s easy to say, ‘I want to win the World Cup,’ just like many people want to buy a private jet,” Queiroz said. “But you have to be ready to pay the price to achieve those dreams.”
According to the Black Stars coach, achieving success requires far more than tactical ability or individual talent. He emphasised the need for a strong high-performance culture built around trust, professionalism, and attention to detail.
The interview also offered insight into Queiroz’s plans to rebuild the Black Stars by enforcing higher standards and strengthening commitment to the national team.
As part of preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the coach revealed that he has intensified efforts to study Ghanaian football more closely, especially the domestic league.
Working alongside the Ghana Football Association, Queiroz said a local talent observation programme had helped him better understand the structure of Ghanaian football and assess home-based players.
“I went deeper to know some of the local players,” he explained. “We put this programme in place so I could see the best players and understand local football much faster.”
At the core of his philosophy, Queiroz believes the Black Stars can only regain consistency and competitiveness if unity is restored within the team environment.
He stressed that rebuilding trust among players, coaches, officials, and supporters would be key to Ghana’s World Cup ambitions after years of inconsistency surrounding the national team.
Rather than making bold promises, Queiroz said his focus remains on elite-level preparation and professionalism.
“We have to put the right preparation in place, training, diet, nutrition, physios, fitness, and the details of set pieces,” he said.
The Portuguese coach brings decades of experience to the role, having managed teams at several FIFA World Cups and worked in some of football’s most demanding environments.
