World Cup 2026: Jordan Ayew Explains Why Ghana Lost to Colombia in Round of 32
· YEN.com.gh News · Join- Black Stars captain Jordan Ayew spoke out after Ghana's 1-0 Round of 32 defeat to Colombia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on July 4
- Ayew pointed to Carlos Queiroz's short tenure of just two months as a key reason for the team's offensive struggles against Colombia
- Ghana failed to register a single shot on target in the loss, ending their 2026 World Cup campaign
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Jordan Ayew has reflected on Ghana’s early exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup following their 1-0 defeat to Colombia in the Round of 32 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on July 4.
The Black Stars captain pointed to the limited preparation time under new head coach Carlos Queiroz as a major reason behind the team’s inability to go further in the tournament.
Source: Getty Images
Jhon Arias scored the only goal of the game to send Colombia into the Round of 16, where they will face Switzerland, as Ghana’s campaign came to an abrupt end.
The defeat could also mark the end of Ayew’s World Cup journey, with the forward having now featured at three different editions of the tournament.
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Ayew explains why Ghana lost to Colombia
Speaking after the match, Ayew drew attention to the structural challenge facing the team, noting that Queiroz was only appointed in April, roughly 72 days before the tournament began, following the departure of Otto Addo.
He told Sporty FM:
"We have a new manager, who just came two months ago, trying to install his style, and people are adjusting. You don't adjust within one month or two months, football doesn't work like that," Ayew said.
He acknowledged that while Ghana showed defensive improvement during the tournament, they fell short in attack.
"You could see that defensively, we were better but we fell short a bit offensively so we have to find the right balance. The manager needs time; he's a very good manager."
The statistics underlined Ayew's assessment of the team's offensive limitations.
Ghana failed to register a single shot on target in their entire match against Colombia, according to Opta.
They were one of only two teams in the final Round of 32 fixtures to finish without a shot on target, alongside Austria against Spain.
Will Carlos Queiroz remain Ghana's coach?
Queiroz's own future with the Black Stars now hangs in the balance.
The 73-year-old was handed a short-term contract when he took charge in April, and with Ghana's World Cup campaign over, no clarity has emerged on whether he will continue in the role as of the time of writing.
Source: Getty Images
With the World Cup behind them, Ayew and his teammates will now shift focus to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Ghana face a difficult opening fixture against the Ivory Coast in September, setting up what is expected to be a demanding qualification campaign.
How much Ghana earned after World Cup exit
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that despite their early exit, Ghana will still receive a significant financial reward from FIFA for their participation at the 2026 World Cup.
The Black Stars are entitled to the standard payout awarded to all teams eliminated at the Round of 32 stage.
Source: YEN.com.gh