‘Ghana is a real threat, we can get punished’- Rice admits Ghana have quality to shock England

Nii Ayitey Brown 06:48 - 23 June 2026

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Declan Rice speaking at the pre-match conference

Declan Rice has warned Ghana national football team pose a serious threat to England national football team ahead of their World Cup clash, highlighting the Black Stars’ pace, strength, and dangerous counterattacking ability.

Declan Rice says Ghana national football team are a “real threat”, warning that England could be punished if they are not at their best.
The midfielder highlighted Ghana’s strength, pace, and dangerous counterattacks, while praising Thomas Partey and Antoine Semenyo as key threats.
The highly anticipated Group L clash could prove crucial in deciding qualification to the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Declan Rice has warned Ghana national football team could punish England national football team if the Three Lions fail to perform at their best, describing the Black Stars as a dangerous side with pace, strength, and lethal counterattacking ability ahead of their World Cup clash.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, the Arsenal midfielder highlighted Ghana’s physicality and speed as major threats, noting his familiarity with several Ghanaian players from both club and international football.

“Ghana is a real threat, and we are preparing for them like any other team. They have quality players, and we know if we’re not at 100%, we can be punished”, he said.

“Thomas Partey is a really good player. I played with him at Arsenal. I’ve also played against a lot of the Ghana players. I know what they are going to bring. They are going to bring a lot of strength, pace, and I know they are going to catch us out on counter-attacks. Having played against a lot of these players, I already know what’s going to be coming tomorrow”, he added.

The Black Satrs opened their campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Panama national football team, a result that boosted confidence within the Black Stars heading into one of their toughest group fixtures.

England, meanwhile, began with an entertaining 4-2 win over Croatia national football team, putting them in strong position in Group L.

Rice also singled out Antoine Semenyo as one of Ghana’s attacking dangers, stressing that England cannot afford complacency.

“We're are coming against Semenyo but we've prepared for them like any other team”

Historically, meetings between the two nations carry extra intrigue due to the growing number of Ghanaian players competing in the England.

Many members of the Black Stars squad, including Semenyo, Fatawu are well known to English players, adding another layer to the contest.

🎥 🇬🇭 “Thomas Partey is a really good player. I played with him at Arsenal. I’ve also played against a lot of the Ghana players, and I know they are going to catch us out on counter-attacks.”

England midfielder Declan Rice on facing the Black Stars at the World Cup 🤔

(Credit:… pic.twitter.com/nwZVJ9kZur
— Citi Sports (@CitiSportsGHA) June 23, 2026

🎥 🇬🇭 “Ghana is a real threat, and we are preparing for them like any other team. They have quality players, and we know if we’re not at 100%, we can be punished.”

— England midfielder Declan Rice on facing Antoine Semenyo and the Black Stars at the World Cup.🤔#CitiSports… pic.twitter.com/3hpsdtzbt1
— Citi Sports (@CitiSportsGHA) June 23, 2026