Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has declared that his side will draw inspiration from an entire nation when they face England in a pivotal FIFA World Cup Group L clash, insisting the Black Stars have “33 million lions” behind them.
The two teams meet at Boston Stadium on Tuesday with a place in the knockout stages potentially at stake after both opened their campaigns with victories. Ghana secured a dramatic 1-0 win over Panama thanks to Caleb Yirenkyi’s stoppage-time strike, while England overcame Croatia 4-2 in an entertaining encounter.
A victory for either side would secure progression to the Round of 32 and put them firmly in control of the group.
Speaking ahead of the match, Queiroz used England’s famous Three Lions emblem as a rallying cry for his players.
“We know they have the three lions on their shirt, but we come from Ghana and have 33 million lions to fight for this game,” the Portuguese coach told reporters on Monday.
The experienced manager said matches against football’s traditional powerhouses require little motivation, with players naturally eager to rise to the occasion.
“This is the easiest type of match because when you’re about to play against England, France or Germany, you don’t need to say anything to the players. They are fully motivated,” he said.
“Everybody is fully switched on and everybody wants to perform well. What we have to do in this type of game is manage that enthusiasm and make sure we work together.
“Whatever happens, we need to stay united and fight together for the full 90 minutes.
“It is an opportunity that happens once in a lifetime. We will play with all our weapons, all our intensity and all our quality.”
England, ranked fourth in the world, head into the contest as favourites and could secure top spot in Group L with victory, provided Panama fail to beat Croatia in the group’s other fixture.
However, Ghana, currently ranked 65th, know a win would put them in a commanding position and move them closer to a first appearance in the World Cup knockout rounds since their memorable run to the quarter-finals in South Africa in 2010.
Queiroz acknowledged the quality within Thomas Tuchel’s squad but insisted his team are ready for the challenge.
“We know how England play. They have excellent players and the experience of the Premier League. They play with great intensity, but we know how we can manage that,” he said.
The meeting will be the first competitive encounter between the two nations. Their only previous clash came in a friendly at Wembley in March 2011, which ended 1-1 after Asamoah Gyan cancelled out Andy Carroll’s opener.
Queiroz also brushed aside suggestions that his heavy defeat to England while managing Iran at the 2022 World Cup could influence Tuesday’s encounter. Iran were beaten 6-2 in Qatar, but the veteran coach said he has long moved on from that experience.
“In football, four years is like a century, so I do not even remember where that was,” he said.
“I was not defeated. In football, we never lose. We either win or we learn. We learned a couple of lessons that day.”
With confidence high in both camps, Tuesday’s showdown promises to be one of the standout fixtures of the group stage as Ghana seek to upset one of the tournament favourites and take a major step towards the knockout rounds.