Antoine Semenyo will be a name familiar to fans of the Premier League after the forward netted 17 goals last season for Bournemouth and Manchester City.
The winger has enjoyed a meteoric rise through English football in recent years and is now regarded as one of the country's best in his position - with his ascent reaching its latest peak as the Ghanaian looks to lead his nation to a World Cup upset.
From being rejected by Premier League giants at 15, to college youth football in Gloucester, all the way to the biggest stage the game has to offer in the space of just 10 years. Semenyo has taken an unusual route to the top, but the Three Lions will be fully aware of the threat he will pose on Tuesday evening.
Rejected by London's major sides
Semenyo had unsuccessful trials with Arsenal and Tottenham as a teenager, as well as with Crystal Palace. With no club coming in for him, the professional dream appeared to be over - until an offer arrived to play academy-level football at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College.
His performances at that level caught the eye of Championship club Bristol City, who gave him a professional deal in 2018.
Loans across the lower tiers of English football followed, particularly at clubs relatively nearby to Bristol; Semenyo spent time at Bath City and Newport County before eventually getting the biggest test of his professional career up to that point - a loan to then League One side Sunderland.
In a move that could have taken his career to the next level, the winger featured just seven times before the COVID-19 pandemic cut short any momentum he was building.
Something seemed to click after his return to Bristol City, though, with the forward quickly breaking into the first team side and ending the 2020/21 campaign as the Robins' Young Player of the Season.
More success followed in the next two seasons before Semenyo's form saw Bournemouth make a move for him in January 2023. Just three years on from his failed stint in League One, the Ghanaian was in the Premier League.
A whirlwind three years
If that three-year period wasn't enough, his growth as a footballer continued with a fantastic spell on the south coast.
Semenyo managed 45 goal contributions in 110 appearances and eventually became Bournemouth's main man for the 2025/26 campaign.
In a team full of exciting young talent, Semenyo quickly became their figurehead and netted 10 goals in the first part of the season, which caught the eye of Manchester City.
Ghana's star man has shown no sign of slowing down since joining the eight-time Premier League champions, scoring a further 11 goals in all competitions.
Among those strikes was the winner in the FA Cup final against Chelsea - a fantastic back-heel that highlighted his ability to be decisive in big moments.
That sort of quality will be needed when Ghana face England, with a clear shot at qualifying for the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup.
Struggles with Ghana
Despite his exceptional performances at the club level, Semenyo is yet to really get going for his national team.
The 26-year-old made his international debut in May 2022 and has since made 35 appearances while only scoring three goals.
In fact, Semenyo hasn't scored for the Black Stars in over a year; his last international goal came in March 2025.
Part of that is down to the fact that Ghana failed to qualify for the most recent Africa Cup of Nations, and their form only really picked up in World Cup qualification after a rough few years.
Semenyo is yet to really announce himself in this rejuvenated Ghana side, and shouldered a lot of the attacking responsibility in their 1-0 win over Panama, ultimately to no avail - but there will be no better opportunity to stamp his authority than the clash with England, against several defenders he knows all too well.
The winger will likely come up against club teammates Nico O'Reilly and John Stones, which might give him a slight advantage in what could be a tricky evening for the Ghanaians.
Follow England v Ghana here with Flashscore.
World Cup 2026
The 2026 World Cup will be held from June 11th to July 19th in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament will feature 48 national teams and will be played in 16 modern stadiums.
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