Carlos Queiroz’s first major selection call as Ghana coach will effectively begin under the floodlights of Puebla tomorrow night, when a hungry, experimental Black Stars side faces the Mexico national football team in what has rapidly become a high-pressure World Cup audition.

With the official squad announcement only days away, the international friendly at the Cuauhtémoc Stadium has evolved from a routine warm-up into a fierce battle for places, as returning stars, fringe players and emerging talents attempt to force their way into Queiroz’s plans for the World Cup. 

The Portuguese tactician and his newly assembled technical team used the camp to closely examine the players’ form, mentality and tactical discipline.

The Black Stars arrived in Mexico last Sunday to begin preparations for tomorrow’s showdown, with training intensifying ahead of what insiders describe as one of the most important evaluation matches before the World Cup begins in June across Mexico, Canada and the United States.

Experimental squad

The Portuguese coach has deliberately assembled an experimental 23-man squad blending established professionals, home-based standouts and Olympic hopefuls as he widens Ghana’s player pool ahead of a brutal Group L campaign against the England national football team, Croatia national football team and Panama.

Midfielder Majeed Ashimeru returns after a lengthy absence caused by a muscle injury that restricted his appearances for both club and country, while Felix Afena-Gyan has been handed another opportunity to revive his international career after disappearing from the Black Stars setup since Ghana’s Unity Cup clash against Trinidad and Tobago in London last May.

Conspicuously missing from camp, however, is former Belgium youth international Francis Amuzu, who had been expected to complete his nationality switch and potentially make his Ghana debut. His Brazilian club, Grêmio, reportedly refused to release the winger.

With the match falling outside FIFA’s international calendar, captain Jordan Ayew, Thomas Partey, Alexander Djiku and Kwasi Sibo were unavailable for selection, forcing Queiroz to look beyond the usual core of the squad.

For the locally-based players in camp like Medeama SC midfielder Salim Adams, Heart of Lions defender Ebenezer Abban, Dreams FC’s Ebenezer Adade and Nations FC captain Razak Simpson, especially, the Mexico clash represents a test of whether they can cope with the speed, pressure and tactical demands of elite international football.

Player assessment

Tomorrow’s friendly also comes at a delicate moment for the Portuguese tactician, who has spent recent weeks criss-crossing Europe to monitor players since taking charge last month on a short-term deal.

Queiroz is expected to use the trip to assess his squad depth amid growing injury concerns over influential duo Mohammed Kudus and Mohammed Salisu, both of whom have been ruled out of Ghana’s World Cup campaign.

Behind the scenes, Queiroz and his staff have intensified their scouting and analytical work, closely monitoring players across Europe and the domestic league as they attempt to build a squad capable of competing on football’s biggest stage.

Mexico have won all four previous friendly international matches with Ghana, the last clash a 2-0 win for the El Tri on October 14, 2023, at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Mexico, co-hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the United States and Canada, kick off the tournament against 2010 tournament hosts South Africa on June 11 in Mexico City.

They will also play against Group A rivals South Korea and the Czech Republic.