Antoine Semenyo has set his sights on making an impact at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting Ghana must be ready for a demanding group that includes England, Croatia and Panama.
The Ghana forward will face England, the country of his birth, in a standout Group L fixture in Boston on June 23, but says his focus remains firmly on helping the Black Stars progress.
“It’s going to be tough, but yeah, I’m looking forward to it,” Semenyo said on the In The Mixer podcast.
“It’s a tough group because you can’t underestimate Panama. You think it’s easy, but it’s not that easy. It will be a tough game; they won’t be a pushover.
“Croatia and England are obviously top teams. Trying to get out of the group is what we want essentially, but it’s not going to be easy at all.”
Semenyo, who committed his international future to Ghana in 2022, is expected to play a key role in the team’s attack heading into the tournament.
“Ghana came at 20, 21? and I can't turn down playing first team for Ghana, so it was such an easy decision,” he said.
“No, it was never a difficult decision. I was never in the England rankings like that anyway.”
The 26-year-old also pointed to the intensity and expectations that come with representing Ghana on the global stage.
“In Ghana, the expectation is that every ball I touch has to be in the back of the net. If it’s not, you’re crap. That’s how they are.
“They love football over there; football is everything, so when we don’t do well, it’s a meltdown. There’s a lot of pressure.”
Ghana open their World Cup campaign against Panama on June 17 in Toronto before further group games against Croatia and England, with qualification to the knockout stage the immediate target.
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