Antoine Semenyo has insisted Ghana will not be satisfied with anything short of pushing on in the World Cup as the Black Stars turn their attention to a decisive Group-stage encounter with Croatia.
After producing an eye-catching draw against England, belief is rising inside the Ghana camp that they can carry that momentum forward and set themselves up for the knockout stages.
Semenyo acknowledged how painful past disappointment can be, saying: “The last time we didn’t manage to get out of the group, and that was a massive let-down. But this time, if we can make it through, then who knows what could happen next.”
“We’re here to win. We want to make Ghana’s supporters proud, and the longer we’re in the competition, the bigger the celebration will be.”
Croatia stand between Ghana and the next round, with the 2018 World Cup runners-up again guided by Luka Modrić. The midfielder remains a key force for his team at the age of 40, continuing to deliver performances at the very top level.
“People kept saying the last World Cup would be his final one, just like they said about Messi and Ronaldo,” Semenyo said. “But they’re all back again. Modric is still playing at the highest level, so it’s not really surprising.”
“It will be great to share the pitch with a player of his quality.”
Semenyo’s next challenge will also bring him up against familiar Premier League faces in Joško Gvardiol and Mateo Kovačić, though he stressed that personal relationships will be set aside as Ghana focus on their tournament goals.
“I’m expecting there could be messages around the build-up, the same as with the England players,” Semenyo said. “It will be nice to see them, and I hope we can come out on top. But they’re two excellent players and they won’t make it easy.”
