EXCLUSIVE: Jerome Opoku Shares Insights on His First Black Stars Cap and Aspirations for the 2026 World Cup

Ghanaian defender Jerome Opoku achieved a remarkable milestone in his football career with his full competitive debut for the Black Stars, contributing to their impressive 3-0 win over Madagascar in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The match took place at the Al Hoceima Grand Stadium in Morocco on Monday, signifying not only a victorious moment for Ghana but also a personal achievement for Opoku, as it marked his inaugural competitive start for the national team.

Prior to this match, the 26-year-old had participated in friendly matches against the USA, Nigeria, and Uganda, and had made a brief 10-minute appearance in a competitive fixture against Chad just before starting against Madagascar three days later.

“I’ve been putting in a lot of hard work and have been eager to seize my opportunity with the national team. I always believed this day would come, and being able to support the team is incredible. It’s truly a dream and honour to don the national colours and represent my country,” Opoku expressed.

Coach Otto Addo implemented a tactical change from the 4-1-4-1 formation used in the 5-0 victory over Chad to a 3-5-2 setup against Madagascar, facilitating Opoku’s inclusion in the starting eleven on short notice. Despite having just one training session before the match, Opoku was thrilled to be in the starting line-up.

“I was slightly surprised to be starting against Madagascar, but as I mentioned, I’ve always been prepared for this moment. I hope I met expectations and didn’t let down the Ghanaians or the team. I’m immensely happy to have made my official debut and full competitive start for my country; it’s a true honour,” he said.

The towering centre-back, standing at 6’5″, adapted effortlessly to the three-back system, drawing from his experience at Istanbul Basaksehir, where he has encountered similar formations this season.

“It was relatively straightforward for me since my club has employed a three-back system several times this season. Thus, it was easy to transition and replicate that style here. The Ghanaian coaching staff worked out a clear plan that everyone could follow, which significantly aided our performance,” he remarked.

“I’m a versatile player, having played as a left-back during my time at Fulham’s academy and in the earlier stages of my career, so I’m comfortable in various positions. I aim to give my all for the team and meet the coaches’ expectations.”

Ghana’s recent successes follow a tough 2024 campaign, in which the team failed to qualify for the 2025 AFCON. Opoku believes these disappointments have fueled the squad’s determination to strive harder for World Cup qualification.

“This time, we have a renewed and stronger motivation because of the disappointment of not qualifying for AFCON, so we’ve worked to put that behind us and aim to make amends by winning games and qualifying for the World Cup.”

“We know we must put in extra effort to achieve this. Big shout outs to the entire team, the coaches, and everyone involved. We’re aware the job isn’t finished yet, so we’ll remain focused and ensure we complete our task,” he added.

With Ghana currently topping Group I of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers with 15 points, Opoku is optimistic about the Black Stars’ prospects for a fifth World Cup appearance.

“I am 200% confident that we will qualify. That’s my goal and my vision. We know the job isn’t finished and it won’t come easy, but we’ll fight until the end to secure the points we need to finish first in the group and qualify for the World Cup,” he declared.

“We’re working diligently to improve our performance, ensuring we achieve the necessary results in our remaining matches to secure World Cup qualification. We remain focused on what’s ahead and believe we will accomplish our objective.”

While Ghana enjoys success on the international stage, Opoku’s club, Basaksehir, is experiencing a tougher season, currently placed mid-table in the Turkish league.

“This season has been quite challenging compared to last. We participated in the Conference League but didn’t progress past the group stage, and we’re also out of the League Cup, currently sitting in 8th place in the league,” he explained.

“It’s been a difficult journey for us, but our aim is to secure a spot in Europe, so we’ll continue to work hard from now until the end of the season to try to achieve that. It won’t be easy, but that’s the nature of the game, so we’ll keep pushing forward.”

Opoku has been a reliable performer for Basaksehir this season, starting 24 league matches, contributing two goals and two assists.