By Simon Asare
Accra, April 24, GNA – Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has underlined his commitment to fairness and merit in player selection after being officially unveiled in Accra ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
The vastly experienced coach, who has been appointed on a four-month contract, made his intentions clear during his unveiling press conference, stressing that no individual or group “owns” the national team and that every player must earn the right to wear the Black Stars jersey.
“First of all, nobody owns the national team. That’s the point that must be clear. But the players dream to represent the country. It is our job to give them a fair and right position,” Queiroz said.
A key focus of Queiroz’s early work has been the assessment of home-based players, a move he described as both deliberate and necessary.
The Portuguese tactician revealed that shortly after his appointment, he told the Ghana Football Association to organise sessions involving local players so that they were properly evaluated.
“In this short period of time, I started with the federation to organise local players because I didn’t want to go to the finals of the national team without having the opportunity to see them, to deal with them and analyse them,” he explained.
The former Portugal coach emphasised that selection would be based purely on merit, with the goal of ensuring that only the most deserving players represented Ghana on the international stage.
“I thought it is to be sure that the ones that represent us are the ones that they really deserve to be there,” he said.
Queiroz likened the national team experience to an unmatched symbol of devotion and responsibility.
“For me, the national team, it is a heart without equals, without God,” he stated. “Inside the heart can only be the players that deserve to be there.
“The moment you open the door and you ask for people to come in and help, that’s why they do have the people that they deserve to be there. So, this is the way that I do it,” he added.
Queiroz also acknowledged the depth of Ghana’s international player pool, noting that many Black Stars players compete abroad. However, he insisted that talent alone is not enough, placing equal emphasis on mentality and commitment.
“Of course, we know that the international footballers, a lot of them. And it is also my responsibility to make sure that the players that I select are the people with the right spirit,” he said.
With the 2026 World Cup approaching, Queiroz has until June 1st to submit his final squad list to FIFA.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade