Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo says he is determined to show that the Black Stars can compete with football’s leading nations when they face England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Manchester City attacker, who was born and raised in England before opting to represent Ghana internationally, is preparing for what is expected to be one of the standout fixtures in Group L.
Semenyo will come up against players and friends from the country where he spent his childhood, but the 26-year-old insists his focus is firmly on helping Ghana make a statement on the world stage.
“It will just feel normal,” he said. “I just want to win and prove that we can compete with the top nations. Playing against my friends, I want to prove my point.”
The forward also revealed that, despite outside discussions over whether he should represent England, he never seriously considered playing for the Three Lions.
“My mum and dad are Ghana through and through. They never really mentioned anything about England,” he said.
“Obviously, living in England, you get the conversation of: ‘Oh, you should represent England’. But it was never a conversation I ever had, really.”
The clash between Ghana and England is expected to attract major attention during the group stage because of the number of players with connections to both nations.
For Semenyo, however, the fixture represents another chapter in a career that has overcome significant setbacks before reaching football’s biggest stage.
As a teenager, the striker struggled to secure opportunities in professional football after unsuccessful trials with several English clubs, including Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Fulham, Millwall and Crystal Palace.
Those disappointments left him questioning whether he would be able to pursue a long-term future in the game.
His fortunes eventually changed after encouragement from former Leeds United coach Dave Hockaday, who helped restore his belief and ambition.
That support proved pivotal as Semenyo secured a move to Bristol City in 2017, beginning his rise through the English football system.
Since then, his development has accelerated rapidly.
Impressive performances at Bournemouth helped establish him as one of the league’s emerging attacking talents before he earned a move to Manchester City.
He also enjoyed one of the defining moments of his career by scoring the winning goal against Chelsea in the FA Cup final, capping what has been described as a memorable season for the Ghana international.
Now regarded as one of Ghana’s leading attacking players, Semenyo is expected to play a central role in the Black Stars’ World Cup campaign.
The meeting with England will offer him an opportunity not only to face familiar opponents, but also to demonstrate Ghana’s ability to challenge elite footballing nations on the sport’s biggest platform.
For a player whose path included rejection, uncertainty and persistence, the World Cup encounter represents another significant milestone in a career that has continued to gather momentum.
