Carlos Queiroz to make World Cup history after accepting Ghana job | OneFootball

Queiroz is headed to his 5th World Cup [Getty Images]

Veteran Portuguese manager Carlos Queiroz will equal Bora Milutinović’s record of coaching at five consecutive World Cup finals, after accepting a late offer to coach Ghana at this summer’s tournament.

With just two months until Ghana’s World Cup 2026 campaign gets underway in the United States/Canada/Mexico, Queiroz beat off competition from a host of contenders, including countryman Fernando Santos, to replace outgoing coach Otto Addo who vacated his post at the end of March.

Queiroz recently left Oman after a failed bid to qualify for the tournament, but his huge experience in international football made him an attractive option for the Black Stars. The 73-year-old has previously coached the national teams of Portugal (twice), United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Iran (twice), Colombia, Egypt and Qatar before the short-lived stint with Oman.

The tournament will be Queiroz’s fifth World Cup, having led Portugal at World Cup 2010, after which he took Iran to Brazil 2014, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022. As such, the man from Portugal matches Milutinović as the only manager to lead a team at five consecutive World Cups, while Carlos Alberto Pereira still holds the overall record of six appearances, which were staggered.

Queiroz released the following statement accompanying news of his appointment:

“It is with a deep sense of gratitude to GFA, responsibility and humility that I embrace this new chapter with the National Football Team of Ghana. Football has given me a lifetime of challenges, lessons, and unforgettable journeys, all over the world. Today, I accept this mission with the same passion and commitment that have guided me throughout my career.

“Ghana is a nation of talent, pride, and footballing soul. I arrive with respect for its history and belief in its future. Together, with unity, discipline, and ambition, we will work to honour the expectations of a great football nation. This is not just another job — it is a mission. And I am ready to give everything of my experience and knowledge once again, in service of the game and the happiness of People.

To the future,

Carlos Queiroz”

Need better luck against the English

Queiroz, who was born on the African continent in Mozambique, has spent much of his career in international management. Highlights include taking South Africa to World Cup 2002 (the last time the country qualified outside of hosting) before quitting ahead of the tournament amid a row with the governing bodies, as well as a run to the AFCON final with Egypt in 2021, while establishing Iran as a household name at tournaments made Queiroz a respected figure in the Middle East.

Yet there is no doubt recent jobs have not proved particularly enjoyable for the man who brought Portugal back-to-back U20 World Cup titles in 1989 and 1991. Indeed, across his five jobs since 2019, Queiroz did not last longer than twenty matches in any of his spells with Colombia (18), Egypt (20), Iran (6), Qatar (11) and Oman (12).

Ghana have been drawn in Group L of the World Cup alongside England, Croatia and Panama. Queiroz will be hoping his team fare better against England than he did with Iran at the 2022 World Cup, where they suffered a humiliating 6-2 defeat.

“He has the best CV in Ghana’s history”

Discussion over Queiroz’s appointment has been widespread in Ghana, who boast some exhilarating talent in attacking areas such as Tottenham Hotspur’s Mohammed Kudus and Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo. Speaking on the day of Queiroz’s appointment, President of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana, Kwabena Yeboah, insisted the country has chosen a man with almost incomparable experience.

“In the history of Ghanaian football, I don’t think a coach has been appointed who has a better CV than Carlos Queiroz,” Yeboah said. “Carlos comes with a great wealth of experience, one of the most well-travelled managers in history. He’s seen it all.

“I’m hoping that us Ghanaians will give him all the backing. At the end of the day, the onus is on the players. He’ll do his bit, he’s important. But the decisive factor is the players on the field of play.”

Ghana will play two friendly matches ahead of their World Cup opener against Panama in Toronto on 17th June. First, the West Africans travel to play Mexico in Puebla on 22nd May, before facing off against Wales in Cardiff on 2nd June, which is the day after all final squads must be confirmed.