FORMER Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, has backed Ghana national football team to make a strong impression at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, predicting that the Black Stars can secure at least a point against England national football team in Tuesday’s Group L encounter in Foxborough, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
News Point Nigeria Sport reports that Ghana head into the highly anticipated clash buoyed by a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Panama national football team in their opening match of the tournament on Thursday.
The Black Stars needed a dramatic late intervention from Caleb Yirenkyi, whose 95th-minute winner denied Panama what would have been their first-ever World Cup point in Toronto, Canada.
The victory marked Ghana’s sixth win in 16 World Cup matches, equalling Nigeria’s record of six victories from 21 games at the global tournament.
Despite the fierce and historic rivalry between the Super Eagles and the Black Stars, Troost-Ekong revealed that he is firmly supporting Ghana’s campaign. The rivalry remains one of African football’s most intense, with Ghana having denied Nigeria qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup during their most recent qualifying showdown.
The Al Ahli Doha centre-back, who is currently working as a pundit for SuperSport at the World Cup after announcing his retirement from international football last year, said he would be delighted to see Ghana succeed, beginning with a positive result against England.
“I would love Ghana to go and do well. I think the beauty of the World Cup, and I think all the teams, even when we’ve been at the World Cup before, we want to see the other African teams do well. I think it’s very important for the continent.
“Besides the rivalry, where we play against each other often, there’s also a lot of love for each other because we know the players well. Maybe from my perspective now, having retired from the national team, it’s easier to say that.
“I was very happy with their performance against Panama. Leading up to the game against England, there were a lot of positives. I thought they looked very resilient in that game. I think the introduction of the substitutes in the second half, especially Brandon Thomas-Asante and Abdul Fatawu, made a really big difference. I think they’ve given England something to think about.”
Troost-Ekong, however, admitted that one major factor remains uncertain ahead of the match — the availability of Thomas Partey, who missed Ghana’s opening game in Toronto after reportedly being denied entry into Canada.
Even so, the former Nigerian captain believes England have defensive weaknesses that Ghana could exploit.
The Three Lions began their World Cup campaign with an entertaining 4-2 victory over Croatia national football team. Captain Harry Kane scored a first-half brace, but England saw their lead wiped out twice before the interval.
Second-half goals from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford eventually sealed the win for the side managed by Thomas Tuchel.
According to Troost-Ekong, Ghana’s opening victory has given them the confidence and momentum needed to challenge England.
“I think picking up the three points against Panama will give them a chance to play confidently against England. I think, from what I’ve seen of England, there are definitely opportunities to take advantage of.
“So, if I was predicting that game, I’d probably say a draw because I could see both teams scoring.”
The former Super Eagles skipper’s prediction sets the stage for what promises to be one of the most intriguing Group L encounters, with Ghana hoping to build on their winning start and England seeking to secure early qualification to the knockout stages.