World Cup 2026: Antoine Semenyo will be a big threat to England

Former Ghana midfielder Michael Essien believes Antoine Semenyo will pose the biggest attacking threat to England when the Black Stars take on the Three Lions in their second Group L match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Semenyo was instrumental in Ghana’s opening game against Panama, delivering a standout performance and earning the Man of the Match award as the Black Stars battled to a hard-fought 1-0 victory.

Speaking on the Wayne Rooney Show ahead of Tuesday’s encounter at Gillette Stadium, Essien tipped the Manchester City forward to cause problems for England’s defence.

“England will be more worried about Antoine Semenyo,” Essien said.

Essien, who is currently an assistant coach at Danish side FC Nordsjaelland, also praised the attacker’s seamless adaptation following his January move to Manchester City and his impressive performances during the 2025/26 campaign.

“His journey has been very good so far. But what surprises me a little bit is you know, when players switch in January transfer, it takes them a while to adjust to their teammates in the system, but he looks like he’s already been there,” he added.

Ghana will face England at 20:00 GMT, with the Black Stars seeking another positive result to strengthen their position in Group L ahead of their final group-stage fixture in Philadelphia on June 27.

A strong performance against the Three Lions would also move Ghana a step closer to reaching the World Cup knockout stage for the first time since their memorable run at the 2010 tournament in South Africa.