Ghana owe Africa World Cup progress, says Queiroz

Ghana's national football team carries the "duty" to advance an African side into the World Cup's round of 16, according to head coach Carlos Queiroz.

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We have to improve these statistics tomorrow. We have to make it better. So it is on our shoulders to be sure that we add another African team to the next round. That’s our duty.

Queiroz, managing in his fifth World Cup, led Ghana to the knockout stage as a top third-placed team. Out of ten African nations participating, only Morocco had progressed to the next round at the time of his statement, with Senegal, Ivory Coast, and DR Congo having been eliminated. "We have to improve these statistics tomorrow," Queiroz stated ahead of Ghana's match against Colombia. "It is on our shoulders to be sure that we add another African team to the next round. That's our duty."

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This is in the DNA of these boys in Ghana. There’s nothing that you can build or you can buy. It is something that is in their blood and they are really great fighters and I’m very proud to be their coach.

The veteran Portuguese coach, who previously managed Colombia, commended his players' bravery and determination. "This is in the DNA of these boys in Ghana," he said. "There’s nothing that you can build or you can buy. It is something that is in their blood and they are really great fighters and I’m very proud to be their coach."

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It was amazing. Obviously those are the moments that we want to bring back to our country.

Captain Jordan Ayew recalled Ghana's historic run to the quarter-finals in South Africa in 2010, expressing a desire to replicate such moments. He believes Ghana has a chance against higher-ranked Colombia, stating that "In football, every game you start is 50-50." Ayew assured that the team would give their best and make Africa and Ghana proud.

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In football, every game you start is 50-50. Tomorrow is going to be another tight game. Listen, we are going to do our best, we are going to put on a show and we will see what will happen. But what I can guarantee is that we will definitely make Africa proud and Ghana proud.