Antoine Semenyo, the Manchester City forward, chose to represent Ghana over England and now faces the Three Lions at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Born in London, Semenyo was eligible for both nations but committed to the Black Stars in 2022 after a call-up at age 20 or 21. "I could never say no to that," he said, as quoted by Citi Newsroom. "I've already got to represent my country at a World Cup, and now I'm heading into my second one."
International Eligibility and Decision
Semenyo, who never played for England's youth teams, said his family's love for Ghana made the choice easy. "My family also loves Ghana, they all support them. My dad was so proud when I played for Ghana. I'm creating memories playing for a country that means a lot to me," he explained. A key influence was watching Ghana's heartbreaking 2010 World Cup quarter-final loss to Uruguay, where Luis Suarez's handball denied them a semi-final spot.
Club Career and 2025/26 Season
After impressing at Bournemouth, Semenyo secured a major transfer to Manchester City in January 2026. He scored 17 goals last season, including a match-winner in the FA Cup final against Chelsea, establishing himself as a top Premier League attacker.
World Cup Match Against England
Semenyo is expected to play a key role when Ghana face England in their second Group L match on Tuesday, June 23 at Gillette Stadium (Boston Stadium). He contributed to the build-up of Ghana's winning goal against Panama. Regarding facing his City teammates, he said: "I've told Nico [O'Reilly], Marc [Guehi], and John [Stones] I'm coming for them!"
Match Details
Kick-off is at 9pm UK time, broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. England manager Thomas Tuchel may rotate his squad, while Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz is expected to field an unchanged lineup. The two nations have met once before, a 1-1 friendly draw at Wembley in 2011.
