Ghana international Antoine Semenyo says he is unfazed by the Black Stars being drawn against England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage, insisting his focus is simply on helping Ghana compete and win.
Ghana will face England, Croatia, and Panama in Group L in what is expected to be a challenging opening round of the tournament.
Despite the high-profile opponents, Semenyo believes the group presents an opportunity for Ghana to showcase its quality on the global stage.
“It will just feel normal. I don’t think I’ll feel anything. I think if anything, I’ll just want to win and prove that we can compete with the top nations,” he told FIFA.
“I don’t think it changes anything for me, but I know playing against my friends, I want to prove my point. I want to show that we are a top nation, we can play together, and we can beat all the top teams.”
The Manchester City forward added that the Black Stars are determined to make an impact at the World Cup after the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
“We were so frustrated that we didn’t qualify. It was very, very tough. But I feel like we’ve rectified that in terms of qualifying for the World Cup,” he said.
“But we’re not just coming to the World Cup to participate; we want to compete at all levels. I feel like everyone in the team is ready to go.
“For us, we can compete with these teams. It’s about winning games, having fun, and showing the nation what we can do.”
Semenyo is set to feature at his second World Cup, having previously represented Ghana at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.