“Raise up the trophy to the sun,
Their masterpiece is fully done.
Let drums resound and voices ring
For Spain, the champions, now we sing.”
— Unknown Poet: apology Peter Drury
CALL FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 and the winners’ name pops up — Spain. That was after Spain had whipped Argentina (the favourites) one-nil. It must have been a painful defeat to crown Lionel Messi’s brilliant football career—with Ferran Torres’s one goal, in the 104th match, at extra time.
Before 1930, there was no World Cup. It was a stubborn dream that Frenchman Jules Rimet had aboard a ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Why should the world be exchanging bullets instead of chasing after a golden crown: two stylised human figures holding the planet earth, symbolising global unity and the spirit of victory, designed by Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga in 1971. But the original trophy from 1930 to 1970 was the Jules Rimet trophy symbolising Nike, the ancient Greek goddess of victory.
The first World Cup was hosted by Uruguay (Montevideo) which fully paid for all expenses of the competing teams.
At the time of the matches, Uruguayan stadium was being constructed. The ship, Conte Verde, carrying players from European countries among the 13 participating countries, Belgium, France, Romania, Yugoslavia, spent 2 weeks at sea, training on the ship’s deck.
Egypt, the only African nation to honour the invitation could not make the trip owing to bad weather.
Others were: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, U.S.A. At the 2026 World Cup, Cabo Verde (Cape Verde), Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan were playing their first World Cup while Ghana first entered it in 2006, defeating Czech Republic 2–0 and the U.S.A. 2–1, reaching the Round of 16, only to succumb to eventual winner, Italy, 2–0.
Against the Czech Republic Asamoah Gyan scored the historic first goal in 68 seconds, and Sulley Muntari made it 2–0 to end the day.
In the World Cup 2010 hosted by South Africa, Ghana reached a monumental quarter-final, but denied progression when Uruguayan player Luis Suarez deliberately blocked a goal-bound header with his hand. Suarez was sent off, but the resulting penalty was kicked away by Asamoah Gyan. The coach was Milovan Rajevic. A lot of drama came into play.
In the World Cup 2026, Ghana engaged Carlos Queiroz (Portuguese/Mozambican) coach, three months to the tournament in the U.S.A. Thomas Partey was denied a visa to Canada because of his court case in England. Ghana beat Panama 1–0; drew 0–0 with England and was shown the exit by Croatia at the Group of 32 stage. Jordan Ayew, the captain, displayed lack of stamina, and the pastors were at the loudest: “Ghana will not win a single match.” (Prophet Uche) “Ghana will go to the finals.” (Nigel Gaisie)
Kweku Bonsam (on the fetish side) would say he “mantamined” and “kyekyerised” Harry Kane, the English captain, to stop him from scoring. In an article in Daily Graphic on 17/07, Enimil Ashon writes on “Kweku Bonsam got us a draw?”: “Do you believe that Kweku Bonsam, the spiritualist, played a role in the 0–0 result of Ghana’s second game with England… that it was the curse he claimed to have placed on England’s captain, Harry Kane, that prevented the latter from scoring?
So why did he not use his powers to push Ghana through to the final? To this question, he has an answer. Not only did he not help the Black Stars; he actually worked against Ghana. He told a TikTok Live interviewer on July 9 that he spiritually tied the Black Stars because, according to him, Ghanaian football officials failed to recognise and acknowledge his contribution.
The whole of Ghana turned jubilant when South Africa lost their match against Canada (1–0) and they packed back home to enjoy the wealth left by the African foreigners. No sympathy for people we had helped before and who turned against other African nationals in a wave of Afrophobia.
At Cibeles Square, the triumphant Spanish were jubilating, winning the World Cup 2026 just as they had done in 2010 in South Africa, and the name on this time round was Lamine Yamal.
Paradoxically, Lamine was the same 5-month baby twenty-year-old Lionel Messi, the Argentine striker, had cuddled in 2007. The pictures show 20-year-old Lionel Messi bathing a 5-month-old Lamine Yamal for a UNICEF campaign in 2007, and in July 16, 2026, Idris Shehu writes:
“The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says the old photos of Lionel Messi bathing and caring for baby Lamine Yamal were taken during its fundraising photoshoot in Barcelona in 2007. Over the past few years, the inspirational, almost mythical set of pictures of Messi cradling baby Yamal has been circulating on social media. The photos first went viral during the 2024 European Championships which Yamal won with the Spanish national team… Yes, those photos you’ve seen are real.
More than 18 years ago, a baby named Lamine Yamal and his mom Sheila met Lionel Messi at a UNICEF fundraising photoshoot… Today, their achievements on the pitch inspire millions. Off the pitch, both Leo Messi and Lamine Yamal…” use their voices and platforms as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors to support and advocate for children around the world. The goal? That every child survives, thrives, and fulfils their potential. We are proud to have them on our team…
The similarities between the two are so striking that it cannot be just coincidence: at 20 years of age when Messi played for Barcelona his jersey number was 19; when Lamine was featured in club Barcelona he wore jersey number 19. At the height of his form Messi wore jersey number 10, and since his second season at Barca, Lamine Yamal has worn jersey number 10…
The hand of destiny was at play…. The Marcha Real (Royal March), Spain’s national anthem (no lyrics) will be played and played, “Long live Spain! Let’s sing together, with different voices, and only one heart…”
For us, it is “Viva Espana! Alzad los brazos, hijos del pueblo español, que vuelve a resurgir…” (Long live Spain! Raise your arms, sons of the Spanish people, who rise again)… and Lamine Yamal whose father is Mounir Nasraoui, originally from Morocco, and mother Sheila Ebana from Equatorial Guinea, and his name is from two friends, Lamine and Yamal, is the toast of the world of football today.
Lamine’s success is a pivot for a re-united parentage. But for the optics, Messi hugging Yamal after Spain beating Argentina 1–0 was spectacular. For us, will Ghana learn any lesson from World Cup 2026? Two themes: leadership and discipline
Kurt Okraku, Ghana’s FA President has stated; “The technical team and players have learned invaluable lessons from this 2026 World Cup campaign that will make the Black Stars stronger to compete for future laurels.” What are the lessons? Julius Cobbinah has stated; “When the right decisions are made objectively, without personal interests, the results can benefit everyone.”
Honourable Misbau Mahama Adams, MP, states in Parliament: “…Mr. Speaker, football remains one of the most powerful unifying forces.. in our country. Beyond its entertainment value, it serves as a significant vehicle for national pride, youth empowerment, employment generation and economic activity…”
US$355 million will be distributed globally to football clubs that release players for national team assignments in relation to the World Cup tournament.
“The deliberate inclusion of locally based players in our national team set up will yield several tangible benefits; adopt a policy direction that affords competitive opportunities to ten (10) qualified locally based players during the course of our World Cup campaign…”
Love Ghana, be less selfish all of you and less corrupt. 2030 starts from today.
