“No Coach Has Lost His Job Over Style In The World”

Carlos Queiroz has faced sharp criticism from Ghanaian football fans over the Black Stars’ defensive setup at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the coach has made clear that results, not aesthetics, will remain his priority as Ghana opens its 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

Since taking charge of the Black Stars, Queiroz has faced repeated calls from supporters urging him to abandon his conservative approach in favour of a more attacking brand of football — the kind Ghana has traditionally been associated with.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the qualifiers, the Portuguese coach pushed back directly, insisting that winning is the only real measure of success in the job.

“Have you seen any coach lose their job because of style of play before? Coaches lose their job because they don’t win, not because of their style,” Queiroz said.

Queiroz, who has spent 47 years in coaching across some of the game’s biggest jobs, said his philosophy isn’t up for negotiation at this stage of his career.

“There is one thing that has kept me in my job for 47 years and it’s not after 47 years that I’m coming to change my style,” he added.

Ghana has long taken pride in a particular attacking identity, and many fans want Queiroz to honour that tradition. But the coach has been unambiguous that his own approach will take precedence over sentiment while he’s in charge.

Carlos Queiroz Stays As Black Stars Coach As GFA Confirms New Mandate

The former Real Madrid and Portugal coach has consistently argued that results shape perception, not the other way around.

“The win makes the style; that’s the law of the game. I wish I could start every single game with my team with the ball but it’s not possible,” he explained.

The comments land at a critical moment for Ghanaian football. The Black Stars missed out on the previous Africa Cup of Nations — held in Morocco in 2025 — for the first time in over two decades, a failure that has sharpened the urgency around this qualifying campaign.

Ghana opens its Group C campaign away to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on Thursday, September 24, before returning home to face The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium three days later.

With qualification now the immediate priority, Queiroz will be hoping his results-first approach delivers the points Ghana needs to book its place at the next tournament.