Man City star Antoine Semenyo targets statement win against England at 2026 World Cup

Antoine Semenyo says Ghana are determined to prove themselves against the world’s top nations at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, especially in the group-stage clash against England.

The Black Stars forward spoke to FIFA after Ghana were drawn alongside England, Panama and Croatia in Group L of the tournament.

Semenyo, who was born and raised in England, admitted facing England will carry extra motivation because of the friendships he has with some of their players.

“I’ll just want to win and prove that we can compete with the top nations,” he said.

“I know playing against my friends, I want to prove my point. I want to show that we are a top nation.”

The Manchester City attacker also reflected on Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, describing it as a painful experience for the squad.

“We were so frustrated that we didn’t qualify. It was very, very tough,” Semenyo admitted.

However, the 26-year-old believes the Black Stars have responded positively by qualifying for the World Cup and insists the team is not travelling simply to participate.

“We’re not just coming to the World Cup, we want to compete on all levels,” he said.

Semenyo added that Ghana have enough quality to make a strong impact at the tournament and believes the current squad can “do special things” if they progress beyond the group stage.