Ghana have appointed Carlos Queiroz as head coach to guide the Black Stars through their World Cup campaign, bringing in one of football’s most experienced international managers for a short-term project. The move comes as Ghana look to steady their preparations before facing Panama, England and Croatia in Group L at the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The Ghana Football Association handed Queiroz the job immediately after parting ways with Otto Addo, whose exit followed a run of four straight defeats in warm-up matches. The GFA has framed the appointment as a temporary solution through the World Cup, with sources close to the association indicating the arrangement will be reviewed after the tournament.
Queiroz takes charge with urgent tasks ahead
Queiroz said on the GFA website that the role carries a clear purpose. “This is not just another job — it is a mission,” he said, adding that he is ready to give “everything of my experience and knowledge once again” in service of the game and “the happiness of People.”
The 73-year-old begins work at once, with limited time to shape the squad before Ghana’s opening match against Panama on June 17 at BMO Field in Toronto. Ghana then face England on June 23 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, before meeting Croatia on June 27 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Why Ghana turned to Queiroz
The appointment ends a two-week search that started after Addo was dismissed hours after a 2-1 defeat to Germany in Stuttgart. That loss followed setbacks against Japan, South Korea and Austria, leaving the Black Stars in poor form just before the World Cup.
GFA president Kurt Okraku said the association received more than 600 applications in the first 24 hours after Addo’s departure, even though no public vacancy notice was issued. Queiroz ultimately beat several well-known candidates, including Slaven Bilic, Herve Renard, Kwesi Appiah, Tom Saintfiet and Kim Lars Bjorkgren.
| Candidate | Background |
|---|---|
| Slaven Bilic | Former Croatia and West Ham United coach |
| Herve Renard | AFCON winner with Zambia and Ivory Coast |
| Kwesi Appiah | Former Ghana coach, currently with Sudan |
| Tom Saintfiet | Led Gambia to an AFCON quarterfinal |
| Kim Lars Bjorkgren | Worked within Ghana’s domestic football setup |
Reports suggested Renard was also viewed as a possible longer-term option after the tournament, which may have influenced the decision to keep the initial deal short.
A manager built for tournament pressure
Queiroz brings rare World Cup pedigree to Ghana, having coached national teams at five editions of the competition. He first rose to prominence by leading Portugal’s youth sides to back-to-back FIFA U20 World Cup titles in 1989 and 1991, helping develop players such as Luis Figo and Rui Costa.
His senior career has included major roles with Sporting CP, Real Madrid, the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, Japan’s Nagoya Grampus Eight, and Manchester United, where he worked as Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant across two stints. At club level, his best-known success came at Real Madrid, where he won the Spanish Super Cup.
Queiroz’s international record with different national teams
- South Africa: qualified Bafana Bafana for the 2002 World Cup before leaving ahead of the finals.
- Portugal: led the team to the 2010 World Cup and reached the Round of 16.
- Iran: became the country’s longest-serving coach and qualified the team for three World Cups.
- Colombia: guided the team through a strong Copa America group stage before results declined in the next qualifying cycle.
- Egypt: took the Pharaohs to the AFCON final, where they lost on penalties to Senegal.
His longest spell came with Iran, where he spent nearly eight years and helped the team qualify for the 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Iran stayed unbeaten in qualifying for Brazil, came close to advancing from a difficult group in Russia, and later beat Wales in Qatar before exiting in the group stage.
What Ghana need from the new coach
Ghana enter the World Cup as four-time Africa Cup of Nations champions, but the team failed to qualify for the next edition of the continental tournament in Morocco, their first absence in 21 years. That result has increased pressure on the setup, even with players such as Mohammed Kudus of West Ham and Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth among the squad’s key names.
The Black Stars will also play friendlies against Mexico and Wales before the tournament, giving Queiroz a brief window to assess his squad and settle on his tactical plan. Ghana are targeting a stronger showing than their last two World Cup appearances, when they reached the quarterfinals in 2010 but exited in the group stage in 2014 and 2022.