Ghana coach slams expansion despite African record

Ghana manager Carlos Queiroz has voiced strong criticism of the World Cup's expansion to 48 teams, expressing concerns that the move risks diminishing the tournament's prestige and turning it into a "vulgar, ordinary competition."

“

I do believe that what really has huge value, huge and significant value, is [that which] is rare. I’ve never seen in my life common things, ordinary things that come with huge value.

Queiroz's remarks come at a time when African teams are experiencing remarkable success in the current tournament, with nine out of ten participating nations advancing to the knockout stages. This unprecedented progress highlights a potential contradiction, as the expansion format, which allows more teams to qualify for the latter stages, has benefited African representation. Queiroz, speaking after Ghana's 2-1 defeat to Croatia, which still secured their progression, argued that the value of a competition lies in its rarity.

“

So, the number of teams that qualify for the World Cup, I am afraid that [it] can turn this competition [into a] vulgar, ordinary competition. … With so many teams qualifying for the World Cup, I think the value of the competition [comes from it] being rare to be in the World Cup.

"I do believe that what really has huge value, huge and significant value, is [that which] is rare," Queiroz stated. "I’ve never seen in my life common things, ordinary things that come with huge value." He posited that with so many teams qualifying, the World Cup's exclusivity is eroded. The former Portugal and Real Madrid manager also suggested that financial interests are driving these expansion decisions, lamenting, "Today, money talks... This is called not football but Moneyball."

“

Today, money talks. In the game, money talks. This is called not football but Moneyball.

Beyond the perceived devaluation of the tournament itself, Queiroz also raised concerns about player welfare due to the increased number of matches. He further noted that the qualification process, particularly in regions like Europe and South America, has lost significance as many teams now secure berths easily. This sentiment contrasts sharply with the historic achievements of several African nations, including Cape Verde, whose small population underscores the impact of the expanded format on previously underrepresented teams.

“

You see in Europe … who is out of Europe in the qualification? So, even the qualification matches in Europe, in Africa, they start to lose significance and meaning, because everybody’s qualified, in South America, most of the European teams.