Ghana's Right-Back Solution: Is Marvin Senaya Ready To Ascend John Paintsil's Throne?

Where has Marvin Senaya been all this while? The Auxerre right-back wowed football fans with his marvellous performances for the Black Stars at the 2026 World Cup.

He has not looked back since his integration into the team against Austria on 27th March, 2026, when he came on for Caleb Yirenkyi in the 70th minute. He further delivered a near-perfect performance in a friendly match against Wales as part of Ghana's preparations for the World Cup.

Born in France to former Togolese national footballer Yao Mawuko Senaya and a Ghanaian mother, he had the luxury of playing for both nations, but he chose Ghana over Togo. Ghana has really pulled a fast one on its neighbour, Togo.

Since the retirement of former Black Stars right-back John Paintsil, it has been difficult to find a worthy replacement for the former Fulham defender.

The likes of Samuel Inkoom and Harrison Afful were tried in that role at one point or another. Although they gave a fairly good account of themselves, their performances could not quite measure up to Paintsil's.

In recent times, Alidu Seidu tried his best to plug the loopholes at right-back, but on countless occasions, he was roasted when he faced players with skill and pace, leaving him gasping for air.

With the discovery of Senaya, he has proven that he is not a pushover, just as John Paintsil matched opponents in the past. In the match against England in the World Cup, Senaya proved why he deserves to be in the team. He was the 'Jericho Wall' that restricted Anthony Gordon from having a good game. He was unfazed by the trickery of the newly signed Barcelona player. Thomas Tuchel had no choice but to substitute Gordon because Senaya threw his game plan out of gear.

Cut from the same cloth as Paintsil, his darting runs on the flanks to support the attack are a delight to watch. However, some of his crosses are a bit erratic, leaving much to be desired. He needs to rigorously work on his crosses in order to create decent goal-scoring chances for the attackers.

In modern football, it is not only the prerogative of midfielders to create scoring opportunities; defenders now play a major role by supporting attacks and also scoring, if the need be. He needs to take a cue from the likes of Cafu, Dani Alves, and Philip Lahm, who did not become idols because of carrying out their basic duties of defending their area of command, but because of their attacking instincts to spot an opening and duly take advantage of it, making them pillars of their teams.

It is early days for this huge comparison with John Paintsil because, with 89 caps, it will take a bit of time for Senaya to be at par with the Ghana legend. That body of work does not surface overnight. It takes discipline, maturity, and commitment to attain that height. That notwithstanding, with the pace at which Senaya is trekking, if he remains tactically disciplined, he will, in no time, become one of Ghana's best right-backs.

Senaya may not be where he has to be for now, but with just five caps, it is certain that the right-back position that has been the Achilles' heel of the Black Stars is on its way to recovering from the surgical theatre. It is just a matter of time!

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