Carlos Queiroz appeared to have walked away from the Ghana national team. Instead, the Portuguese coach is set to lead the Black Stars into their next campaign.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) confirmed Thursday that the 73-year-old has agreed to return for what it described as the “next phase of the team’s programme,” reversing his earlier decision not to extend his contract.
Queiroz initially announced his departure after Ghana’s World Cup campaign came to an end. The Black Stars reached the last 32 before Colombia ended their run, prompting the veteran coach to indicate that his time with the team was over.
That decision, however, did not last long.
Following discussions involving the GFA and Ghana’s Ministry of Sports and Recreation, the parties reached an agreement that will see Queiroz resume his duties during the upcoming international window.
“Following discussions with the GFA and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, it was agreed that Carlos Queiroz would embark on a new coaching mandate,” the association said.
His return comes at an important moment for Ghana, with the team preparing to begin its qualification campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Black Stars are scheduled to face Ivory Coast and The Gambia later this month in Group C, with Somalia completing the group. The tournament will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania next year.
Queiroz therefore has little time to settle back into the job. His immediate challenge will be preparing Ghana for a demanding qualifying campaign while building on lessons from the World Cup.
The Portuguese manager brings considerable international experience to the task. Before his previous spell with Ghana, he coached Iran at the 2022 World Cup. His coaching career has also included national teams such as Portugal, Colombia, Egypt and Qatar.
At club level, Queiroz has worked as an assistant at some of Europe’s biggest sides, including Manchester United and Real Madrid.
His return to Ghana now gives him another opportunity to shape the Black Stars, but the circumstances surrounding his appointment make this a very different beginning from his original tenure.
After deciding that his journey with Ghana was finished, Queiroz has instead been handed another chapter. His first opportunity to show what that decision means will come when the Black Stars return to competitive action later this month.
