Ghana’s attacking options for the upcoming friendly against Wales and the 2026 FIFA World Cup may be packed with experience and talent, but a closer look at the numbers raises questions about where the goals will come from.
Carlos Queiroz has named nine forwards in his squad, yet only two of them reached double figures for goals during the 2025-26 season.
Antoine Semenyo stands out as the clear exception. The Manchester City attacker enjoyed the most productive campaign of his career, scoring 21 goals and providing six assists in 48 appearances. His numbers are comfortably the best among Ghana’s attacking options and underline his growing importance to the national team.
Beyond Semenyo, however, the figures are less convincing.
Brandon Thomas-Asante was the only other selected forward to reach double figures, finishing with 13 goals and four assists for Coventry City. While respectable, his return came in the Championship rather than one of Europe’s elite leagues.
Abdul Fatawu Issahaku contributed nine goals and eight assists for Leicester City, producing strong all-round numbers without quite reaching the goalscoring heights expected of a leading attacker.
The returns from some of Ghana’s most established names are even more modest.
Jordan Ayew managed six goals and three assists in 45 appearances, while Inaki Williams recorded four goals and six assists in 39 matches for Athletic Bilbao. Kamaldeen Sulemana finished with three goals and one assist, while Christopher Bonsu Baah scored just three times despite registering an impressive 13 assists.
Prince Kwabena Adu added eight goals and one assist for Viktoria Plzen, while Ernest Nuamah enters camp having played only three matches after returning from a serious ACL injury.
Taken together, the statistics suggest Ghana’s attack relies heavily on collective contribution rather than one or two prolific goalscorers.
That reality becomes even more significant when considering the calibre of opposition awaiting the Black Stars at the World Cup. Group L features England and Croatia, two nations renowned for their defensive organisation, alongside Panama.
The numbers also explain why some supporters were surprised by the omission of players such as Joseph Paintsil, who had contributed five goals and assists in just 11 MLS appearances before the squad announcement. His exclusion illustrates the competitive nature of Ghana’s attacking pool, even if none of the contenders produced truly elite goalscoring numbers this season.
For Queiroz, the challenge may not be creating chances. The squad contains creative players such as Bonsu Baah, Fatawu and Augustine Boakye. The bigger concern is whether the forwards can consistently convert those opportunities against the world’s best teams.
The Wales friendly could provide an early indication of whether Ghana’s attack has enough cutting edge to trouble opponents in North America. Based on club statistics alone, the answer remains one of the biggest questions facing the Black Stars ahead of the World Cup.