PHILADELPHIA, PA. -- In the aftermath of Ghana's 0-0 draw with England in their second World Cup game in Foxborough on Tuesday, former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes was quick to identify where he'd seen the Black Stars' gameplan before.
The 51-year-old was transported back to the Nou Camp, 2008, when Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola's Barcelona - then at the peak of their powers - were neutralised by Sir Alex Ferguson's United.
The Red Devils would eliminate Barca in the second leg of their semifinal - Scholes scoring the only goal of the tie - before going on to dispatch Chelsea on penalties in the final.
Will Carlos Queiroz, Antoine Semenyo and Ghana be rewarded with a berth in the round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images "We had [Carlos] Queiroz, who was manager of Ghana, in the Nou Camp when we drew with Barcelona 0-0," Scholes said on his The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast on Wednesday. "It was a carbon copy, teams defending deep, no gaps, don't try and score a goal really.
"You might get the odd chance, as Ghana did, but aggressive, horrible to play against."
It's perhaps not a compliment in the traditional sense, but it may be the kind of compliment Queiroz values most. Ghana have not arrived at this World Cup to charm the neutrals, they've come to surprise, to compete, to frustrate, to believe... and, if possible, to win.
"At the end, I like to leave the pitch proud of myself and my players," Queiroz told journalists on Friday, "the work they did for the fans.
"When the fans are happy, we can be happy. We work in the entertainment business, and our job is to make people happy."
Queiroz has certainly done that, defeating Panama and holding England to take Ghana to the cusp of the knockouts, and as the Black Stars prepare for their meeting with Croatia, the Portuguese coach is attempting to summon the same spirit that defined one of United's most famous European nights.
This is discipline without apology, aggression without recklessness, and Queiroz's brand of 'attacking defence' which left the England players bedraggled and out of ideas at the end of their bout earlier this week.
Gary Neville has long credited Queiroz with sharpening United tactically in Europe, giving them the nous and the structure to be able to navigate those tough away ties and opponents who will likely have greater possession.