Carlos Queiroz prioritises winning over possession ahead of World Cup 2026

Black Stars coach Carlos Queiroz has made it clear that results matter more to him than style of play as Ghana prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The veteran coach shared his thoughts after Ghana’s final friendly match against Wales, where Caleb Yirenkyi scored the only goal in a 1-1 draw.

Queiroz stressed that dominating possession does not guarantee success and believes winning matches should always be the main objective.

The former Portugal coach believes a strong defensive performance combined with clinical finishing can be just as effective as possession-based football. His focus now is guiding Ghana to positive results when the World Cup gets underway.

"That’s the name of the game, my friend. I’ve seen many great teams — from Bayern Munich to others — win with 70% possession. But the game is not about possession. The game is about the skill to put the ball in the net, defend your goal, and win the game. Some teams enjoy possession. Others play direct, create combinations, score, and win," he said.

"This is a winning business. That’s it. They call it football, but at the end of the day, it’s a winning business. The way we win, I don’t care. I just want to win. If we have 80% possession and lose, I don’t care. I go mad if we attack 80% and lose. If we defend 80% — quality defending, eyes on the ball, always looking to score — and we win, I’m happy. Because when I’m happy, it means the fans are happy, the people are happy, the country is happy."