'Ghana will make life difficult for us' – England coach Thomas Tuchel

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has said he expects a tough game against the Black Stars in the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.

He indicated that the Three Lions are motivated to prove a point in their match, determined to maintain their standards and live up to expectations.

However, the German noted that he is aware of Ghana’s potential and pedigree in football and will be cautious in his approach.

England players to shake hands with Thomas Partey - Thomas Tuchel hints

“The bad news for Ghana is that we will also be very motivated. I see no reason why we wouldn’t be. We play on the biggest stage and we want to prove a point to ourselves and to everyone. That is who we are. So there is no advantage, there cannot be any advantage. I still believe we are in one of the strongest groups in the World Cup. It started with a top opponent in Croatia.

“It continues tomorrow with Ghana, a traditionally strong football country with outstanding players in this squad. They now have a new coach, a new formation, a solid block, and will ask difficult questions. They will make life hard for us because, as I said, they are a difficult opponent. We want to take the next step, they want to take the next step, we both have three points, and we will battle for the win,” he told the media ahead of the game.

With England’s strong start against Croatia, the Black Stars will need to work diligently to secure a result that could book their ticket to the next stage of the competition.

After England’s 4-2 win against Croatia, the Three Lions lead Group L with three points, alongside Ghana, while Panama and Croatia sit third and fourth with zero points after the first round of matches.

Watch the videos below:

🎥 🇬🇭 “It’s bad news for Ghana because we will be very motivated. We are playing in one of the most difficult groups, and Ghana is a traditional top football country with outstanding players.”

— England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 boss Thomas Tuchel on facing the Black Stars at the World Cup… pic.twitter.com/wiC2LADjeO

— Citi Sports (@CitiSportsGHA) June 23, 2026

🎥 🇬🇭 “Ghana’s counterattack is a threat because they play with a lot of physicality and speed. They don’t mind not having much of the ball, and they are not shy to use long balls.”

England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 manager Thomas Tuchel praises the Black Stars’ system under Carlos Queiroz.… pic.twitter.com/BI4Y4e1J2N

— Citi Sports (@CitiSportsGHA) June 23, 2026