Ghana reached the quarter-finals in 2010 and would have gone further but for Luis Suárez's handball on the line. Now the Black Stars have a player who can take them back there. Mohammed Kudus dribbles through defences as if they were traffic cones, and he wants to do it on the biggest stage.
Otto Addo is the manager. Kudus, Thomas Partey and Iñaki Williams are the key men.
Kudus, Partey and Williams
- Kudus is a dribbling wizard at West Ham who can beat several defenders and score something spectacular out of nothing.
- Partey brings Arsenal-level control and discipline, and anchors the whole team's play.
- Williams has blistering pace and remarkable stamina. He once played over 200 consecutive La Liga games, and that engine gives Ghana a tireless outlet.
The 2010 run showed Ghana can compete with, and beat, the best teams on the planet. This squad mixes European-based talent with West African flair, which makes it hard to predict.
Which Ghana will turn up?
That is the problem. On their day, with Kudus in the mood, the Black Stars can beat anybody. They can also look world-class in one game and amateur in the next. If Kudus turns on the magic and Partey controls the midfield, Ghana could be the surprise package of the tournament.
Tomorrow: number 18.
