Former Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan has expressed strong confidence in the Black Stars, predicting they could emerge as the surprise team at the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Ghana, set for their fifth appearance at the global tournament, will compete in Group L alongside England, Panama, and Croatia. The team’s most memorable World Cup run came in 2010 in South Africa, where they reached the quarterfinals for the first time in history.

In an interview with OneFootball, Gyan—Africa’s all-time leading scorer at the World Cup—shared his optimism about Ghana’s chances, highlighting their potential to exceed expectations.

He also tipped Kylian Mbappé to finish as the tournament’s top scorer, pointing to the French star’s consistent brilliance on the world stage.

Looking ahead to the bigger picture, Gyan predicted a high-profile final between Argentina and Germany, ultimately backing the European side to lift the trophy.

After disappointing group-stage exits in both 2014 and 2022, the Black Stars are determined to make a stronger impact this time around. Their campaign begins against Panama on June 17, followed by fixtures against England on June 23 and Croatia on June 27.

As part of their preparations, Ghana will test themselves in friendly matches against Austria at Vienna’s Ernst-Happel-Stadion and Germany in Stuttgart, offering crucial opportunities to fine-tune the squad ahead of the tournament.