Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz encouraged his players to see Saturday’s loss to Croatia as a learning experience, not a setback, after the Black Stars reached the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Even though Ghana lost 2-1 in their last Group L match, they moved on to the Round of 32 as one of the top third-placed teams and will play Colombia next.

Looking back on the match, Queiroz repeated a belief that has shaped his coaching career.

“As I always say, we either win or we learn. Today, we learned,” he said.

The experienced Portuguese coach thinks tough moments are important for a team’s growth, especially during big tournaments.

“We’ve learned how to be better prepared for the World Cup.”

Queiroz also told his players that reaching the knockout stage is just the start.

“Qualification is not the destination. It’s just a credit card that gives you the right to be at this stage of the competition.”

“Now we have to pay the price of having that credit card in our pocket.”

Queiroz called the knockout rounds the real test of a team’s character and said every match will be close.

“Everything goes to the winner, nothing to the loser. Every game is full of drama, and nobody can hide from the first minute.”

He told his players to face Colombia with courage, commitment, and belief.

“Everyone must give everything on the pitch. That is the real World Cup, and it starts with the next game.”

Now, the Black Stars are focused on their match against Colombia in Kansas City. They hope to use what they’ve learned in the group stage to reach the Round of 16.