Ghana turns to Carlos Queiroz for the 2026 World Cup: Inside the coach’s extensive global experience

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has officially named the national team’s new head coach for the 2026 World Cup. After several days of uncertainty following Otto Addo’s departure, the Black Stars have turned to a familiar and highly experienced figure: former Portugal and Colombia manager Carlos Queiroz.

Queiroz had publicly denied the rumors just days earlier, but this week, Ghana’s federation made the announcement official. “The Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association, in collaboration with all key stakeholders, has appointed Carlos Queiroz as head coach of the senior national team, the Black Stars,” the statement read.

A global coaching veteran

The 73-year-old has built up one of the most extensive international résumés in world soccer. After serving alongside Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, in 2003, Queiroz was hired by Florentino Pérez to head his Galáctico project at Real Madrid.

By early 2004 Queiroz’s team were flying and on course for the treble - six points clear at the top of the league table, in the Copa del Rey final and through to the Champions League quarter finals. But the final weeks of the campaign were a disaster - Madrid ended up winning nothing and Queiroz was sacked with a year left to run on his contract.

He was welcomed back by Manchester United, where he remained until 2007, winning two Premier League titles as well as the 2007/8 Champions League.

Since then Carlos has almost exclusively coached national teams. He enjoyed two spells at the helm with his native Portugal - the most recent from July 2008 to September 2010.

In terms of numbers, his best figures came during his stint as head coach of Iran - a tenure that lasted almost eight years and included two World Cup appearances. But his biggest achievement was guiding Egypt to the Africa Cup of Nations final in 2021, only for the team to lose to Senegal on penalties.

Ghana will be the 11th national team post that Queiroz has occupied following stints in charge of the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Colombia, Qatar and Oman.

Tough World Cup group

His challenge now is to prepare his team for this summer’s World Cup - which will be his sixth as a coach. Ghana have landed in a tough group in which they will face England, Croatia and Panama. The team will make its debut on June 17 against Panama in Toronto.

In the meantime, Queiroz will be able to take a closer look at his players in two pre-tournament warm-up games - against Mexico on May 22 and then Wales on June 2.

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