Who are the Ghana players England should look out for?
BBC Sport highlights five Ghana players who could pose a threat to England in their upcoming World Cup match.
Ghana had a troubled build-up to the World Cup after coach Otto Addo was dismissed 72 days before the tournament due to poor results. Experienced Carlos Queiroz, taking charge for his fifth consecutive World Cup, was delighted with his team's start – a last-gasp victory over Panama raised hopes of a first knockout stage appearance since their 2010 quarter-final run.
BBC Sport takes a look at five key players England need to watch out for.
Antoine Semenyo
The 26-year-old Manchester City winger is Ghana's star man. He arrived at the World Cup fresh from finishing third in the Premier League Golden Boot standings for 2025-26, scoring 17 goals across spells at Bournemouth and Manchester City. His £65m January move paid off as he helped City win two trophies, including the winning goal in the FA Cup final. Genuinely two-footed, over the past two Premier League campaigns he had 103 shots with his left foot and 95 with his right. Despite his club form, he has only scored three goals in 35 internationals for Ghana, and just one in his past 28 caps.
Caleb Yirenkyi
The 20-year-old Nordsjaelland midfielder is one of Europe's most sought-after young talents. He scored a 94th-minute winner in Ghana's opening match against Panama. Former coach Addo played him out of position at right-back, but Queiroz restored him to his natural midfield role. In the Danish top flight in 2025-26, Yirenkyi led all midfielders in possession won in the opponent's final third (26) and ball recoveries (205), and ranked third overall in successful passes in the opposition half (881). As a child, he won Ghana's 2019 National RiSE Robotics Championship.
Jordan Ayew
The 34-year-old unattached forward became Ghana's record cap holder (121) in the opening match, overtaking his brother Andre. He was made captain in 2025, saying it was "written in the stars." Chasing his first World Cup goal at his third tournament, Ayew has scored 14 times in his past 22 caps, including a hat-trick in qualifying against Central African Republic. He scored more goals in World Cup qualifying (7 in 10) than he did for Leicester City in 2025-26 (6 in 45). Leicester released him after relegation.
Brandon Thomas-Asante
The 27-year-old Coventry City forward forced his way into the World Cup squad after scoring 13 goals in their Championship title-winning season. Born in Milton Keynes, he came through their academy and played for lower-league clubs. He made an immediate impact against Panama, coming off the bench to set up Yirenkyi's winner. He is renowned for his dance moves and used to perform in a street dance group.
Kamaldeen Sulemana
The 24-year-old Atalanta winger was officially the fastest player at the Qatar World Cup, clocked at 22.2mph. Former Southampton teammate Theo Walcott described him as the quickest player he ever played with. Sulemana is known for dribbling but questioned for end product – he last scored for club in February and has only one goal in 29 caps. He swapped the Championship for the Champions League by moving to Italy last summer.
England face Ghana on 23 June at 21:00 BST, live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
