2026 World Cup: Antoine Semenyo will be Ghana's biggest threat against England - Michael Essien

Former Ghana midfielder Michael Essien believes Antoine Semenyo will pose the biggest attacking threat to England when the Black Stars face the Three Lions in their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L encounter.

Semenyo was instrumental in Ghana's opening match against Panama, delivering a standout performance that earned him the Man of the Match award as the Black Stars battled to a hard-fought 1-0 victory in their tournament opener.

Speaking on the Wayne Rooney Show ahead of Tuesday's showdown at Gillette Stadium, Essien singled out the Manchester City attacker as the player most likely to cause problems for England's defence.

"England will be more worried about Antoine Semenyo," Essien said.

The former Chelsea star, who is currently serving as assistant coach at Danish club FC Nordsjaelland, also praised Semenyo's seamless adaptation following his January move to Manchester City.

According to Essien, it is rare for players to settle so quickly after a mid-season transfer, making the winger's immediate impact even more impressive.

"His journey has been very good so far. But what surprises me a little bit is you know, when players switch in January transfer, it takes them a while to adjust to their teammates in the system, but he looks like he's already been there," he added.

Ghana will take on England at 20:00 GMT, with Carlos Queiroz's side seeking a positive result that would significantly boost their chances of progressing from Group L ahead of their final group-stage fixture in Philadelphia on June 27.

A strong performance against the Three Lions would also move the four-time African champions closer to a first appearance in the World Cup knockout stages since their historic run at the 2010 tournament.