Ernest Thompson, former Black Stars management committee member and Hearts of Oak board secretary, believes Ghana has the quality and spirit to compete with global football giants like England and Brazil at the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Speaking on Sporty FM, Thompson praised Ghana’s impressive qualification campaign, which secured the nation’s fifth World Cup appearance, and urged tactical discipline and mental preparation ahead of the tournament.

“England, I don’t mind. When we meet England, it’s a different ballgame… we learned football from them, and I think we can rise up.”

Reflecting on Ghana’s 3–0 defeat to Brazil in the 2006 Round of 16, Thompson argued that the scoreline didn’t reflect Ghana’s true potential.

“Brazil play just like us — flair and creativity. But we didn’t play the right tactics. We defended too high and left spaces… Ronaldo saw it and took advantage.”

He emphasized that tactical awareness, especially off-the-ball discipline, will be key to matching elite teams in 2026.

Thompson admitted he’d prefer Ghana not face certain European heavyweights in the group stage; Spain, Portugal, Belgium amd France.

But he expressed confidence against England and optimism about facing Brazil, provided Ghana gets its tactical setup right.

The Black Stars of Ghana clinched their qualification ticket to the Mundial with a 25-point, top-of-the-table finish for the qualification as they will be looking to make a great impact in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

Thompson concluded by calling for proper preparation and discipline, believing Ghana can restore its reputation as one of Africa’s elite footballing nations.