Keypoints:
- Semenyo prepares to face England in a crucial World Cup clash
- The Manchester City forward chose Ghana over England
- Ghana are seeking a first knockout-stage appearance since 2010
GHANA will turn to Antoine Semenyo when they face England in a decisive World Cup showdown, with the Manchester City forward aiming to help the Black Stars take a major step towards the knockout stage.
The match carries added significance for Semenyo. Born in London to Ghanaian parents, the forward chose to represent Ghana despite growing up in England. Now one of the Black Stars’ most important players, he will attempt to help Ghana secure one of the biggest results of its campaign against the country of his birth.
Ghana arrive full of confidence after a dramatic opening victory that kept their knockout hopes firmly in their own hands and set up a high-stakes encounter with England.
‘I was never going to turn it down’
For Semenyo, the decision over his international future was straightforward.
Despite being born and raised in England, the 26-year-old has long identified strongly with his Ghanaian roots and says representing the Black Stars was never in doubt when the opportunity arose.
Speaking previously to FIFA, Semenyo explained that his family’s influence played a central role in his choice.
‘My mum and dad are Ghana through and through,’ 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. Ghana came in when I was 19, 20, so I was never going to turn it down.’
That commitment now places him at the centre of one of Ghana’s most important matches of the tournament.
From Premier League star to Black Stars leader
Semenyo enters the World Cup as one of Ghana’s most influential attacking players and one of the Premier League’s leading wide attackers.
His move to Manchester City in January 2026 marked another milestone in a career that has accelerated rapidly in recent years. After establishing himself as one of Bournemouth’s standout performers, he attracted interest from several top clubs before securing a move to the English champions.
The move elevated his profile, but his importance to Ghana has been growing for several years.
Having played only a limited role during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Semenyo arrives at this tournament as an established international with far greater responsibility and experience.
Ahead of the England encounter, he made clear that Ghana are embracing the challenge.
‘I’m looking forward to the challenge,’ Semenyo said. ‘I think everyone in the Ghana team is looking forward to it, and we want to prove a point.’
A journey built on resilience
Semenyo’s rise to the top of the game was far from guaranteed.
Before reaching the Premier League and the World Cup, he endured rejection from several clubs, including Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace and Millwall. At one stage, frustration led him to step away from football for a year.
The setback ultimately strengthened his resolve.
Football has always been part of the Semenyo family story. His father, Larry Semenyo, played professionally in Ghana, while younger brother Jai has also pursued a career in Europe.
After returning to organised football through a youth development programme in south-west England, Semenyo earned an opportunity with Bristol City. A series of loan spells followed before he established himself in the first team and attracted wider attention.
That resilience remains central to the player he is today.
‘It’s my mentality now. I have to be resilient. I have to work harder than the next person,’ Semenyo told Sky Sports. ‘I’ve always had that, my whole life. It gives me that extra grit, that extra bite.’
Ghana seek another World Cup milestone
Ghana’s run to the quarter-finals at the 2010 World Cup remains one of African football’s most memorable campaigns, with the Black Stars coming within touching distance of becoming the continent’s first semi-finalists.
The Black Stars are now seeking their first knockout-stage appearance since that memorable campaign and know a positive result against England would significantly strengthen their chances.
Semenyo’s familiarity with English football may also offer Ghana an advantage. The Manchester City forward competes regularly against many of England’s leading players and understands the intensity and tactical discipline that have become hallmarks of the Three Lions.
Yet the occasion is about more than individual match-ups.
For Semenyo, it represents another chapter in a remarkable journey from rejection and uncertainty to the pinnacle of club football and the global stage. For Ghana, it is an opportunity to move closer to a long-awaited return to the World Cup knockout rounds.
And for the London-born forward, there could be no more meaningful moment than helping the Black Stars defeat the country of his birth on football’s biggest stage.
