Sixteen years after their unforgettable surge in South Africa, Ghana’s Black Stars are once again flirting with the World Cup knockout rounds, this time under a coach few expected to fit so seamlessly: Carlos Queiroz.

The veteran Portuguese tactician has reshaped a side that recently leaked goals into one of the tournament’s most disciplined units. Ghana opened with a narrow win over Panama, then frustrated heavily favoured England in a goalless draw in Foxborough, a match they might have stolen but for contentious refereeing calls.

Queiroz has not tried to recreate the swashbuckling, free-flowing Ghana of old. Instead, he has imposed his trademark defensive structure: compact lines, relentless concentration and a willingness to “suffer” without the ball. The Black Stars are among a select group yet to concede, despite facing a barrage of shots and rotating goalkeepers.

Midfielder Kwasi Sibo explained the message in the dressing room: Queiroz demanded compactness, mutual sacrifice and mental toughness for the full 90 minutes. The players, Sibo said, are listening and executing.

Leftback Gideon Mensah, revitalised under the new regime, praised the clarity and honesty of Queiroz’s approach. The plan is not to sit deep for its own sake, he stressed, but to accept difficult spells, absorb pressure and then strike when spaces appear. If that pragmatism delivers results, the squad is fully behind it.

Against England, that blueprint was evident. Ghana blunted the Three Lions for long stretches and nearly snatched victory when Prince Kwabena Adu was felled in the box, only for the referee to wave play on. Earlier, Jordan Pickford escaped harsher punishment after clattering into the same striker outside the area.

Jordan Ayew acknowledged that Ghana did not arrive intending to dominate possession. They expected only a handful of chances and aimed to be ruthlessly efficient when they came. Even without the winning goal, he argued, the performance underlined how awkward and physically imposing this team has become.

Perhaps the most striking change, though, is emotional. Players speak of Queiroz less as a distant tactician and more as a paternal figure. Rightback Marvin Senaya calls him a father who talks constantly about fighting and competing, inspiring the combative edge now visible on the pitch.

Centreback Jerome Opoku credits Queiroz with unlocking his confidence through one-on-one work, while Mensah says the squad had asked for a father figure and believes they have found one. The question now is how far this blend of tactical conservatism and human connection can carry Ghana in the tournament’s decisive stages.