Kevin-Prince Boateng Explains Why Ghana Lost to Colombia at World Cup 2026
- Kevin-Prince Boateng criticised the Black Stars after their 1-0 Round of 32 defeat to Colombia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- The former Ghana midfielder said the team lacked spirit, drawing comparisons to the 2010 and 2014 World Cup squads
- Boateng pointed to smaller nations like Cabo Verde and Curaçao as proof that team spirit can overcome a talent gap
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Kevin-Prince Boateng believes Ghana's disappointing 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign was undermined by a lack of unity within the squad, insisting the warning signs were evident even before the tournament got underway.
The former Black Stars midfielder shared his candid assessment during a panel discussion following Ghana's elimination from the global showpiece.
Source: Getty Images
KP Boateng explains why Ghana lost to Colombia
Speaking candidly, Boateng said:
"It's missing in the team spirit, and I said that before the tournament. If Ghana builds the team spirit, which is difficult because the coach came in just a month before," he began.
"But you need to build the team spirit. We had team spirit in 2010. In 2014 we didn't have the team spirit; that's why we went home. It's all about the spirit. If you see Cabo Verde, Curaçao, and all these small nations, they survive and threaten the big nations. Why, because they have team spirit. That's what it's about, especially in a short time."
His remarks drew from personal experience. The former AC Milan star was a core member of the Ghana squad at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where the Black Stars famously reached the quarter-finals and came within a penalty kick of the semi-finals.
According to Opta, he holds the record for the most chances created by an African player in a single FIFA World Cup.
Watch KP Boateng's full assessment, as shared on X:
Fans react to KP Boateng's verdict
The interview resonated strongly with Ghanaian football supporters, many of whom echoed his diagnosis of the team's shortcomings.
@DominicKansaki wrote:
"He understands us best. he just summarised our entire problem right there"
@TheShoeBoxStore added:
"He's 100% right; Jordan Ayew killed almost everyone's spirit because every touch was ruined by him, and the players who were needed on the field to bring the missing spirit back were benched. How can a whole striker not make any effort or take a shot on target"
@paullkenny1 observed:
"The spirit has been damaged by the FA and Otto Addo. Long ago, Morocco and Cape Verde didn't get here by sudden flight; we didn't do well at 2006 and 2010 by luck. The system has been broken through corruption. We didn't qualify for AFCON. We are just lucky to be here."
@mr_nanaarhin concluded:
"Playing Jordan when you know there are better players on the bench will destroy team spirit."
Source: Getty Images
According to CAF Online, Ghana's defeat to Colombia brought its 2026 World Cup campaign to an end.
The Black Stars had qualified from Group L to reach the knockout stage, only to be eliminated without testing the Colombian goalkeeper once across 90 minutes.
Carlos Queiroz explains why Ghana lost to Colombia
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Carlos Queiroz explained what he believed was the decisive moment in Ghana's World Cup defeat to Colombia.
The Black Stars coach pointed to an incident during the game that, in his view, changed the course of the contest.
Source: YEN.com.gh
