Sam Johnson Supports Ati-Zigi and Asare for Black Stars at World Cup 2026

Former Ghana international Sam Johnson expressed confidence in goalkeepers Lawrence Ati-Zigi and Benjamin Asare as the Black Stars prepared for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Johnson emphasized that discussions regarding who should start in goal should not cause distractions among supporters. He noted that Ghana has capable options between the posts and maintained that whichever goalkeeper was chosen to represent the country at the tournament deserved the full backing of fans.

In an interview with KFMTV, Johnson called on Ghanaians to rally behind head coach Carlos Queiroz, allowing him the freedom to make decisions that best serve the national team. "Ghanaians are too negative at times. Ati-Zigi is a seasoned goalkeeper, but whether it's him or Asare doesn't change anything. Ghanaians have to let the coach do his job. Our main responsibility is to support the team," Johnson stated.

The Black Stars were currently finalizing their preparations for the World Cup, which is set to take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Recently, the team played to a 1-1 draw against Wales on June 2 in their second-to-last warm-up match prior to the tournament. They planned to complete their pre-World Cup preparations with a friendly match against Honduras on June 9, after which they would focus fully on the global event.