Black Stars set-piece coach and chief video analyst, Gregory De Grauwe, has revealed that assistant coach Desmond Ofei played a pivotal role in bringing him into Ghana’s technical setup — a move that has since transformed the team’s efficiency from dead-ball situations.

De Grauwe, who joined the national team in March 2025, has been instrumental in Ghana’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with over 50% of the team’s goals since March coming from set-pieces — the highest ratio among Africa’s qualified teams.

A Connection Forged in Belgium

Speaking to Sporty FM, De Grauwe recounted how his professional relationship with Ofei began:

“We worked together in Lokeren — I was a video analyst for the first team, and Desmond was the coach of the reserves. That’s how we got to know each other about five years ago.”

The two stayed in touch via Instagram, and when the opportunity arose, Ofei reached out:

“One day he asked, ‘Greg, do you want to come work for us?’ Two or three days later, I had an online meeting with GFA President Mr. Kurt Okraku, and everything happened so fast.”

Under De Grauwe’s guidance, Ghana has become one of the continent’s most dangerous teams from set-pieces, with routines that have delivered crucial goals throughout the qualifiers.

“I was so happy to come to this beautiful country and work with such quality players. It was really a big honour for me to join the Black Stars,” he added.

With De Grauwe’s tactical precision and Ofei’s collaborative leadership, Ghana’s technical bench is shaping up as one of the most innovative and cohesive units heading into the 2026 tournament.