Accra:Carlos Queiroz's short stint as head coach of Ghana's national football team, the Black Stars, ended without the opportunity to work with several significant players. Queiroz, who took the helm in April 2026 and departed in October following a challenging period that included the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the start of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, missed the chance to integrate five key players into his squad.
According to Ghana Web, Among the notable absentees was Mohammed Kudus, a forward for Tottenham Hotspur. Kudus was sidelined by a serious quad injury, preventing him from participating in the World Cup and other matches under Queiroz. Although he returned to Tottenham and was included in the September squad, he chose to skip the AFCON qualifiers to focus on his recovery.
Another significant absentee was Mohammed Salisu, a defender for Monaco. Salisu was unable to participate in the World Cup due to injury and did not recover in time to play under Queiroz before the coach's exit.
Joseph Paintsil, playing for LA Galaxy, also never appeared under Queiroz's management. Paintsil was not part of the World Cup squad and consequently missed out on the opportunity to play during Queiroz's tenure.
Tariq Lamptey, who had previously been involved in the World Cup qualifying campaign, did not play under Queiroz either. His last appearances for the national team were in 2024, and he remained a non-playing squad member for the September 2025 qualifiers.
Finally, André Ayew, a former captain of the Black Stars, was not called up by Queiroz. Ayew had already been phased out of the national team during Otto Addo's time as coach and was not included in the final 26-man World Cup squad, despite discussions about his potential value to the team due to his extensive experience.