Sports journalist Jerome Okyere says Ghana’s elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the Round of 32 stage was broadly in line with expectations, given the state of the national team in recent years.

Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Monday, July 6, Okyere stressed that his caution throughout the tournament was based on the team’s performances — not a lack of patriotism.

“I remember telling you, and it wasn’t because I was unpatriotic, that I was just cautious,” he said.

According to him, the current Black Stars squad has not matched the standards set by previous generations, making it unrealistic to expect a deep World Cup run.

“The Black Stars I have seen in the last six to seven years haven’t been anywhere close to the Black Stars I saw 15 years ago,” he noted.

He argued that Ghana’s preparation and the broader management of the country’s football ecosystem also limited expectations ahead of the competition.

“Given the circumstances the team prepared and how the team — and generally speaking our football — has been run, there wasn’t anything to expect,” he said.

Okyere added that any hope of exceeding expectations depended heavily on the tactical decisions of the coaching staff, particularly in key fixtures.

He cited Ghana’s performance against England as one of the few moments that offered supporters genuine belief that the team could punch above its weight.

However, he maintained that progressing beyond the knockout stages was always going to be a difficult task.

“If there was any hope at all, it would be dependent on what the coach does and who starts, especially in the game against England. Beyond that, it was going to be very difficult,” he said.

Okyere said he was not surprised by Ghana’s defeat to Colombia, noting that reaching the Round of 32 had long appeared to be the likely end point of the campaign.

“Even if we make it out of the group to the Round of 32 stage, that could be the last stop. It happened as some of us expected,” he remarked.

Ghana’s World Cup journey ended after a 1-0 loss to Colombia in Kansas City, with Jhon Arias scoring in the 14th minute to send the South Americans through to the Round of 16.

While the result disappointed many supporters, Okyere believes the outcome reflected the realities facing the current Black Stars and should not have come as a surprise.

— CitiNewsRoom