Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz has called for urgent defensive improvements and greater attacking sharpness following Ghana’s narrow 2-1 defeat to Croatia in their final Group L match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The four-time African champions were edged out by the 2018 World Cup finalists on Saturday, with Petar Sučić and Nikola Vlašić scoring either side of Derrick Luckassen’s equaliser to seal victory for Croatia.
Speaking after the game, the 73-year-old tactician stressed that Ghana must quickly shift focus as they prepare for a crucial Round of 32 showdown against Colombia, describing the knockout phase as the “real World Cup,” where mistakes are unforgivable.
“I have just told my players that the real world championship starts in the next round," Queiroz said.
"The group stage is the warming-up, and qualification for the next round is like a credit card, but now you have to start paying.
"Everything goes to the winner, every game is drama, nobody can hide. That starts next game," the former Iran and Egypt head coach said.
Having finished third in Group L, Ghana will now face Colombia on Saturday at the Kansas City Stadium in what promises to be a high-stakes knockout encounter.
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