World Cup 2026: Former Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong backs Ghana to shine against England

Former Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong has offered support to Ghana ahead of their high-stakes 2026 FIFA World Cup clash against England, praising the Black Stars’ potential to make an impact on the global stage.

The West African football powerhouse head into the fixture full of confidence after a dramatic 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto, where Caleb Yirenkyi struck in the 90+5th minute to secure all three points in their Group L opener. The result marked a strong start for the African giants in a tournament featuring 10 representatives from the continent across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Troost-Ekong has, however, expressed admiration for African teams and their shared ambition to succeed on the world stage. He stressed that strong performances from the continent’s sides would enhance African football’s reputation internationally.

“I would love Ghana to go and do well. I think the beauty of the World Cup, and I think all the teams, even when we’ve been at the World Cup before, we want to see the other African teams do well, I think it’s very important for the continent.”

He added that despite continental rivalries, there is a strong sense of unity among African players competing at the highest level.

“Besides the rivalry, where we play against each other, often there’s also a lot of love for each other, because we know the players well, and maybe from my perspective now, having retired from the national team, it’s easier to say that.”

Ghana, who topped their CAF qualifying group with 25 points from eight wins, one draw, and one defeat, now turn their attention to a crucial showdown against England in Foxborough on June 23.

The encounter is expected to be one of the standout fixtures of Group L, with Ghana aiming to build on their opening win and strengthen their push for qualification to the knockout stage.