Antoine Semenyo: English football’s fairytale is now England’s biggest worry vs Ghana
Antoine Semenyo has climbed up through all the levels of English football to become one of the Premier League’s most dangerous attackers, and is now aiming to guide Ghana to a shock result over England at the World Cup
Heading into the World Cup clash with Ghana, England are aware that the player who could cause Thomas Tuchel‘s side the biggest problems may be one their fans know particularly well.
Antoine Semenyo has enjoyed one of the most remarkable rises in English football. From non-league football and loans in the lower divisions, the Ghana international has developed into one of the Premier League‘s most explosive forwards and now arrives at the World Cup as the focal point of the Black Stars’ attack.
With Ghana needing a result to boost their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup, Semenyo will be central to everything they do.
From non-league football to the World Cup
Released by several academies as a youngster, Semenyo began in the ninth tier of English football with Highworth Town, before being signed by Bristol City in the Championship. However, before making the grade at a high level, Semenyo was loaned out to Bath City (sixth tier), Newport County (fourth tier), and Sunderland (League One).
His performances eventually attracted the attention of Bournemouth, where he joined them in the Championship in 2023, before enjoying his breakthrough in the Premier League under current Liverpool coach Andoni Iraola. Strong displays on the south coast led to a big-money move to Manchester City last January (£62.5 million), with Semenyo continuing his development among some of the world’s best players.
Semenyo is one of just a few players to have played in all four English professional divisions, the FA Cup, the League Cup, the Premier League, and the Champions League, making his rise through the football pyramid nothing short of spectacular.
One of the Premier League’s most productive forwards
Semenyo has entered the World Cup on the back of the strongest season of his career. The Ghanaian finished among the Premier League’s leading goalscorers and established himself as one of the division’s most consistent attacking threats.
Only his teammate, Erling Haaland (27), and Brentford striker Igor Thiago (22) scored more goals than Semenyo’s 17 in the league, with the Ghana international recording a league fourth-best 21 goal contributions and a league third-most shots on target with 41.
Why England could struggle against Semenyo
Semenyo’s greatest strength is his versatility, as he can operate through the middle, off either flank or as part of a front two. His combination of pace, power and direct running makes him extremely difficult to defend against in transition.
Unlike many forwards, he is equally comfortable receiving the ball to feet or attacking space behind a defence. He thrives in open-field situations and relishes physical battles with centre-backs.
The Three Lions are likely to dominate possession, which means Ghana’s best opportunities may come from counter-attacks. Those situations suit Semenyo perfectly, meaning that if England commit bodies forward, he has the pace and strength to exploit the spaces left behind.
One of the most intriguing subplots could involve Semenyo facing club teammate Marc Guéhi. The two know each other’s games intimately from training ground battles and Premier League encounters. Guehi’s positioning and anticipation make him one of England’s most reliable defenders, but Semenyo’s explosiveness presents a different challenge.
Betting tips for England vs Ghana
If you expect Ghana to create chances on the counter-attack, Semenyo stands out as one of the most interesting player markets. The Manchester City forward should be heavily involved whenever Ghana break forward, making Semenyo anytime goalscorer an attractive option for punters seeking value.
A more conservative play could be Semenyo to register 1+ shot on target. Even in matches where Ghana see limited possession, he tends to generate opportunities through individual actions and long-range efforts.
