Ghana’s set-piece coach and chief video analyst, Gregory De Grauwe, in an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa has shed light on the tactical evolution that has made the Black Stars one of the most dangerous teams from dead-ball situations during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Speaking exclusively to Footy-Africa, the Belgian, who joined the national team in March 2025 upon the recommendation of assistant coach Desmond Ofei, said Ghana’s flexibility and ability to surprise opponents have been central to their success.
🌟 History made! Congratulations to our #BlackStars – Ghana is going to the World Cup! 💛🇬🇭
#5 🏆
🔗 https://t.co/bjtVlt4yeM https://t.co/KFxFe0XcVX pic.twitter.com/Yj5cXA3iIN
— 🇬🇭 Ghana Football Association (@ghanafaofficial) October 13, 2025
Remarkably, over 50% of Ghana’s goals in 2025 came from set pieces, underlining the team’s growing efficiency in that area.
“It depends a little bit on what the opponent was doing, so we adapted our style,” De Grauwe explained. “Sometimes, like you saw against the Central African Republic, we targeted the second zone and overloaded it with a couple of players. It depends on the opponent, and we try to bring surprises every time.”
De Grauwe also praised the collective effort behind Ghana’s set-piece success, crediting both the delivery and finishing quality across the squad.
“I can’t say this one or that one because Jordan Ayew kicks them so well, Mohammed Kudus kicks them so well — they both have assists. Alexander Djiku scored, Mohammed Salisu scored — it’s everybody. The more variations we have, the more big guys we have, the harder it is to defend us,” he said.
On the changes he has made since joining the technical team, De Grauwe was modest:
“I didn’t make any adjustments because I didn’t know what was done before. I just came with some ideas, talked a lot with Otto [Addo], Desmond, and the rest of the staff. We discussed what we could improve, worked hard on it — and now it’s paying off. There’s no secret concept — just hard work and the quality of the players.”
💛 God bless our Homeland Ghana 🇬🇭#BlackStars pic.twitter.com/FPrJiKvVPS
— 🇬🇭 Black Stars (@GhanaBlackstars) October 13, 2025
De Grauwe joined the Black Stars in celebrating their qualification for the 2026 World Cup, sealed with a 1-0 victory over the Comoros on Sunday.
Ghana finished the qualifiers with 25 points out of a possible 30, winning eight matches, drawing one, and losing one to top Group I.
Ghana will learn their group opponents on December 5, 2025, when the World Cup draw is held in Washington, D.C.
