Ghana assistant coach Roger de Sa has shared how a late-night message led to his appointment with the Black Stars technical team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup later this year.
De Sa was officially added to Ghana’s coaching setup in April, linking up once again with Carlos Queiroz, a long-time collaborator he has worked with across several national teams.
Recounting how the opportunity came about, he explained that the call was unexpected but direct.
“I got the news overnight. I received a message from Carlos Queiroz basically asking me if I was up for a big challenge again, and he asked me to call him as soon as I woke up,” De Sa told SportsBoom.co.za.
“He basically told me that, look, the Ghana national team was looking for his services, and obviously, he would require me to go and assist him, and it was not a very difficult decision to make and accept.”
Their professional relationship spans multiple assignments, with both men having worked together at the international level with South Africa, Egypt, Portugal, and Iran.
After reading the message in the early hours, De Sa said his immediate reaction was to share the news with his family.
“Then, of course, having read the message very early hours of the morning, the first person I told was my wife, just to let her know that there would be a strong possibility that this would happen and that it was another World Cup and my seventh national team. I think she’s become pretty accustomed to this.”
He added that returning to the global stage remains a meaningful experience for him.
“It’s always a great honour to be part of the fantastic national team in the World Cup once again. It is a privilege, and I enjoy every day and make the most of it.”
Reflecting on his coaching journey, the South African tactician dismissed the idea of chasing grand milestones, instead describing his mindset as one built on consistent competitiveness and performance.
“As far as milestones are concerned, I know I’m a triple international and obviously being involved with seven national teams, and I’ve coached players like (Mo) Salah and Ronaldo and a couple of other big guys and having been to two World Cups,” he said.
“I’ve never had big dreams, to be honest with you, as a kid. It was always to just win every day, win every match, win every training session and try to win every competition. It has been about just having that type of mentality all the time and trying to do the best I can in every single moment. That’s how it’s been throughout my career and life.”
