President John Dramani Mahama has expressed confidence that Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz has what it takes to lead Ghana to major international success, insisting the country can win either the next Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) or the FIFA World Cup if the current team is kept together.

Speaking on Friday, July 17, 2026, during his visit to the Ho Sports Stadium as part of his tour of the Volta Regional capital, President Mahama praised the Black Stars for exceeding expectations at the ongoing FIFA World Cup.

According to the President, many football fans and pundits had written off Ghana before the tournament, predicting an early exit from the group stage. However, the Black Stars defied those expectations by progressing to the Round of 32, demonstrating the team's quality and resilience.

"We also need to start preparing for the next World Cup. The Black Stars did well. Nobody gave them a chance. People predicted they would crash out of the group stage, but they managed to get into the Round of 32,” President Mahama said.

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Expressing confidence in the long-term potential of the current Black Stars squad, President Mahama said he believes Ghana can become champions if the team is kept together and Carlos Queiroz remains in charge.

"I'm sure that if we keep this team and we persuade the coach to continue to work with the team, by the time of the next AFCON or World Cup, we will have a team that can claim the championship in any of those two competitions,” he added.

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