World Cup 2026: Caleb Yirenkyi becomes 10th Black Stars scorer at tournament

Caleb Yirenkyi etched his name into Ghanaian football history on Wednesday night, scoring a dramatic stoppage-time winner against Panama to become the 10th different player to find the net for the Black Stars at a FIFA World Cup.

The 20‑year‑old midfielder, making his tournament debut, pounced on a loose ball inside the box in the 92nd minute to snatch a 1‑0 victory for Ghana in their Group L opener at BMO Field in Toronto. His late strike not only secured three vital points but also added a new chapter to Ghana’s World Cup scoring record.

Ghana’s World Cup goalscorers

Before Yirenkyi’s intervention, nine players had scored Ghana’s 18 World Cup goals across four tournaments between 2006 and 2022.

Asamoah Gyan leads the list with six goals, making him Africa’s all‑time leading scorer in World Cup history. André Ayew follows with three, while Sulley Muntari and Mohammed Kudus have two each. The remaining goals belong to Stephen Appiah, Haminu Draman, Kevin‑Prince Boateng, Mohammed Salisu and Osman Bukari.

Yirenkyi’s goal was Ghana’s 19th at a World Cup, pushing the Black Stars into double figures for individual scorers. It also made him the youngest Ghanaian to score at the tournament, aged 20 years and 153 days.

For the teenager, the moment was the stuff of dreams – and for Ghana, it was a piece of history made in Toronto.