Black Stars set-piece coach Gregory De Grauwe speaks about team's progression with dead balls

Gregory De Grauwe, Ghana’s set-piece coach and chief video analyst, has shared key insights into the tactical approach that transformed the Black Stars into one of Africa’s most lethal teams from dead-ball situations during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Since joining the technical team in March 2025, De Grauwe has helped Ghana score over 50% of their goals from set-pieces, a testament to the squad’s execution and strategic flexibility.

“It depends a little bit on what the opponent was doing, so we adapted our style,” De Grauwe told Sporty FM
“Sometimes, like you saw against the Central African Republic, we targeted the second zone and overloaded it with a couple of players.”

De Grauwe emphasized that Ghana’s success wasn’t built on a single concept, but rather on collaboration, variation, and player quality:

“Jordan Ayew kicks them so well, Mohammed Kudus kicks them so well — they both have assists. Alexander Djiku scored, Mohammed Salisu scored… it’s everybody.”

He credited Otto Addo, Desmond Ofei, and the entire technical staff for fostering a culture of open dialogue and continuous improvement:

“I didn’t make any adjustments because I didn’t know what was done before. I just came with some ideas, talked a lot with Otto, Desmond, and the rest of the staff… now it’s paying off.”

With set-pieces now a strategic weapon, Ghana enters the 2026 tournament with a tactical edge and a technical team that thrives on adaptability and precision.