Former Black Stars forward Augustine Arhinful in an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa has expressed belief that Ghana still have plenty of work to do ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite some encouraging signs in the team’s 1-1 draw against Wales.
Speaking to Footy-Africa, Arhinful said the performance in Cardiff showed both the potential and shortcomings of Carlos Queiroz‘s side as preparations continue for the tournament in North America.
While pleased with the team’s response after taking the lead, the former striker felt Ghana were second best for large spells of the contest and must improve if they are to compete against Panama, England and Croatia.
“If I’m scoring the performance, I’d give Ghana six out of ten,” Arhinful said. “We improved after taking the lead, but before that Wales were the better side and created the more dangerous chances. They were unlucky not to score earlier.”
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The former Ghana international also believes some members of the squad are not yet at their peak physical condition and will need to improve their sharpness before the World Cup begins.
According to Arhinful, the tournament will demand much higher intensity and concentration, making it important for every player to be fully prepared both physically and mentally.
“Some of the players are still working their way towards full fitness,” he said. “The World Cup is a different level, so everybody has to be physically ready and sharp when the tournament starts.”
Despite his concerns, he was encouraged by the impact made by several younger players during the friendly and believes competition for places has increased ahead of the World Cup.
“There are players who really helped their chances against Wales,” Arhinful added. “That is a good problem for the coach because it creates competition and gives him more options going into the tournament.”
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Ghana open their World Cup campaign against Panama on June 17 before facing England and Croatia in their remaining Group L fixtures.
While Arhinful believes the Black Stars possess enough quality to compete, he insists the performance against Wales showed there is still room for improvement before the real test begins.
“We have quality in the squad, no doubt about that,” he said. “But if we want to get out of the group, we have to play better than we did against Wales.”
