The Black Stars’ path to the 2026 World Cup has hit a significant roadblock, and the concern within the dressing room is now public. Antoine Semenyo has voiced the collective anxiety of the squad regarding the fitness of Mohammed Kudus, the Tottenham Hotspur playmaker whose participation in the summer tournament is now under a dark cloud. With reports suggesting that Kudus may require surgery following an injury setback, Ghana faces the grim reality of heading to North America without its most potent creative engine.
To understand why Semenyo is calling this situation “frustrating,” one only needs to look back at the 2022 campaign in Qatar. Kudus wasn’t just a participant; he was the heartbeat of the team, responsible for three goal contributions in as many games. In a tactical setup that often relies on quick transitions and individual brilliance to break down disciplined defenses, Kudus is the unique “X-factor” that forces opposing managers to rip up their game plans.
Without him, Ghana loses more than just a goalscorer. They lose a player who demands double-coverage, which usually frees up space for Semenyo and other forwards to exploit. If Kudus stays in London for surgery instead of boarding the plane to the United States, the Black Stars become a far more predictable side for their Group L opponents.
Manager Carlos Queiroz was brought in specifically to restore stability and tactical discipline after the early exits of 2014 and 2022. However, Queiroz’s systems often rely on a high-IQ central figure who can link the midfield to the attack. Kudus fits that role perfectly.
Football analysts suggest that if Kudus is ruled out, Queiroz may be forced to pivot from his preferred fluid attacking style to a much more conservative, defensive posture. The “Queiroz way” is built on structure, but even the best structures need a spark of unpredictable talent to win matches at the World Cup level. The loss of a “pivotal factor,” as Semenyo describes him, puts immense pressure on the veteran coach to find a creative solution in a squad that lacks a direct replacement for the Tottenham man’s specific skill set.
The timing could not be more difficult. Ghana opens its campaign against Panama on June 17, a match that is widely considered a “must-win” to have any hope of progressing. Following that, the Black Stars face a gauntlet against England on June 23 and Croatia on June 27.
Facing the technical mastery of Croatia’s midfield and the sheer depth of England’s squad is a daunting task even with a full-strength lineup. Without Kudus to relieve pressure by carrying the ball forward, Ghana may find itself pinned back in its own half for long stretches of those high-profile matches.
The potential surgery for Kudus is a reminder of the physical toll the modern European football calendar takes on African stars who carry the weight of both club and country. If he misses this tournament, the narrative will shift toward how Ghana can build a “system-based” team that doesn’t crumble when its biggest star is sidelined.
For the players currently in camp, the next few weeks will be about mental resilience. As Semenyo noted, the team has experience, but they must now prove they have the depth to compete on the global stage without their talisman. The road to the 2026 World Cup just became significantly steeper for the Black Stars.
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