Ghana coach Queiroz: Knockout stage is 'real World Cup', center-back KJ ruled out injured

Hupu, July 3rd — Ahead of the first round of the knockout stage against Colombia, Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz addressed the media in a press conference.

Opening Remarks on Team Preparation

Moderator: Please update us on the team's situation. What have you done since the last match against Croatia?

Queiroz: I thought we were going to play Colombia. That Croatia match feels like last century. Yes, we are up against Colombia next, and it's an important game for both teams. It will be great to see two very good teams with different styles on the pitch. Both teams will give their all to win, strive to put on a fantastic performance, and of course, try to take the best result home. I hope that with the right inspiration and the right attitude, we can be the better team on the pitch tomorrow and achieve the result our fans expect. We have great respect for Colombia, but that is our goal tomorrow.

Injury Updates and Africa's Knockout Record

Reporter: Some players had injury issues after the Croatia match. Can you update us on their conditions? Another question is that after the group stage of the World Cup, nine out of ten African teams advanced to the round of 32; but in the round of 32, only one has made it to the round of 16 so far. I know you can't promise the future, but if someone thinks Ghana will be the next African team to go home, what would you say to them?

Queiroz: This is another challenge ahead of us. Tomorrow we must improve that statistic; we have to make it better. So the responsibility is on us to ensure there is one more African team advancing to the next round. That is our duty.

As for the injuries, out of 25 players, everyone else is fully ready to play. The only player we couldn't get back to match fitness for tomorrow is the center-back KJ. All other players are fully available.

Mental Preparation for Knockout Pressure

Mosura (Formula Sports Nigeria): Hello, coach. This will be your fifth World Cup, and most of your players will be experiencing World Cup knockout matches for the first time. Facing this high-stakes "win or go home" scenario, how do you mentally prepare them, especially after seeing what happened to other African teams in this round of 32?

Queiroz: I am fully prepared. As you said, I've been through this several times before, in different competitions. But the knockout stage is special. Nothing in football compares to this phase: the winner takes all, the loser gets nothing. The real World Cup starts now. For us, these are the truly important, high-stakes matches. It's not just about talent, but about character, attitude, courage, and guts, displayed over 90 minutes. In such games, it's not that some are brave and some aren't, but who can endure ten minutes longer than the opponent. That's exactly what we are doing with our players now: preparing them to always be one step ahead of the game, to jump once more, run one more step, sprint once more, make one better pass, and then we have to play the match. That's my experience. We know the pressure is high; we don't need to add more pressure to ourselves. I must ensure that when the game starts, my players truly enjoy it, enjoy every challenge, every pass, every shot, every duel. When we start winning these small battles in the game, we will begin to build the result we want.

Goalkeeper Selection Question

Reporter: Regarding goalkeeper Benjamin Asare, he is currently one of the greatest stories for Ghana. He had another outstanding performance against Croatia. What are your plans for the goalkeeper position? Because clearly, you didn't start the tournament with him as the first-choice goalkeeper. Is Ati-Zigi fully recovered? And if he is, is he in your plans going forward?

Queiroz: I understand your concern, but the only answer I can give you is: wait and see tomorrow. This is a decision I don't want to announce here in advance, because first, the players should be the first to know. Secondly, I would never do it in front of the Colombian media; they would immediately relay the information to the coach. So I won't say anything about it here. I will not comment on that. As you know, I never talk specifically about individual players. I talk about one player: the team. The Colombian team and the Ghana team, only these two teams matter, not specific individuals.

Defender Injury Update

Reporter: Still about the players. You mentioned one defender is absent. What is his specific condition?

Queiroz: The reason is injury. He misses this match, cannot play, and is not even on the bench.

Concerns About Late-Game Focus

Michael (Ghana): Hello, coach. My question is, we saw England vs. DR Congo, Ivory Coast vs. Norway, and Senegal's match. Three very good West African teams all conceded goals in the final moments. This has also been a recurring theme in past tournaments. Are you concerned about this? How do you want the team to avoid becoming a victim of losing focus in the final moments and losing the game?

Queiroz: I worry about the last minute exactly the same as I worry about the first minute. We can win the game from the first minute or lose it from the first minute; we can win in the last minute or lose in the last minute. We have also won some matches in the last minute. So it's part of the game. In the final stages, especially the last 10 minutes of the first half and the last 10 minutes of the second half, many games and many goals happen during this time. It's not just about focus, but also about fatigue, the dynamics of the game, and the opponent taking full risks in their attacking decisions. This is the beauty of football, and also the drama: turning the result in your favor in the final minutes of the game. That's why football is the most beautiful sport in the world.

Ghana's Ability to Handle Pressure

Reporter: The coach mentioned pressure earlier. Do you think the Ghana team has the ability to play under pressure?

Queiroz: If I say something the whole world knows, it's nothing new: Ghanaian players are very technical, explosive, with amazing acceleration in games and strong one-on-one abilities. But what this team is showing is their heart and soul. They are brave people who will fight until the end to build a result. This is in the DNA of these Ghanaian kids. You can't create it, you can't buy it; it flows in their blood. They are truly great fighters, and I am very proud to be their coach.

Queiroz on His Future with Ghana

Reporter: Coach, you really seem to enjoy being the head coach of Ghana. There's a spark in your eyes, you dance, and you've connected with the players. This project was initially seen as a short-term one, but for you, could it become a long-term project?

Queiroz: Tomorrow I will coach my 265th international match. Only two coaches in the world have coached more international matches than me. I already have 142 wins; no one in football history has won more international matches than me. If, under these circumstances, I still can't enjoy what I'm doing here, then when will I enjoy it? After this journey ends? So for me, what matters is to enjoy this wonderful football life as much as possible. You can be sure, tomorrow is my sixth World Cup. I have worked in different places like Portugal, Morocco, Spain. This is what I think about: waking up every day, striving to be a better person and a better coach. That's what I enjoy in my daily life: becoming a better person and a better coach.

Source: YouTube