Ghana coach Otto Addo has admitted that he is his own toughest critic, confessing that he often “overthinks” his decisions as he prepares the Black Stars for their next 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying encounter against the Central African Republic (CAR).
Speaking exclusively to JoySports in Morocco after the team’s final training session on Tuesday, Addo said the players must approach the game with total focus and respect for their opponents following a difficult encounter against Chad.
“I mean, the past has shown that we can’t underrate any team. Any team can play, can defend, so it’s going to be very, very tough. We had, I think, a very, very hard warning against Chad,” he noted.
“So I hope that we learned all the mistakes we did there. And I also overthink myself, as always. I’m the person who overthink myself.
“But I’m very, very sure that we will take the right decision to beat Central African Republic,” he said.
Otto Addo remains unbeaten in World Cup qualifying matches across his two stints as Ghana coach. In his first spell, he masterminded Ghana’s qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup by eliminating Nigeria on the away-goal rule after a 1–1 draw in Abuja, following a goalless first leg in Kumasi.
In the ongoing 2026 qualifiers, Addo has led the Black Stars to five wins and one draw in six matches — a record that has boosted Ghana’s chances of making a fifth World Cup appearance.
However, his side endured a disappointing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, failing to win any match in a group that included Angola, Sudan, and Niger.
Reflecting on Ghana’s recent slip against Chad, Addo admitted that football’s unpredictability remains one of its great lessons.
“That’s the beauty of football (when minnows shock the giants), anything can happen, but like I said, we said we slipped a bit and it was a big surprise because the public, everyone, the media was saying that we’ve won the game, but that’s not the fact,” he said.
Ghana will be looking to maintain their unbeaten World Cup qualifying record under Addo when they face the Central African Republic, with qualification for the global showpiece firmly in their sights.
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