According to The Athletic, Ghana coach Queiroz criticized FIFA's expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams, arguing that it diminishes the value of qualification matches.

This FIFA World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams, with the previous 32-team format having been used since 1998. The decision to expand was made in 2017, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino strongly advocating for the increase in participating nations.

Infantino's stated reason was that the expansion would improve "participation opportunities" for the tournament and allow more countries and fans to experience the world's most popular sport. However, critics believe his true motivation was to increase FIFA's revenue and consolidate his position of power in football.

Queiroz has coached eleven different national teams over a career spanning more than 40 years. On June 17, when Ghana defeated Panama in their opening match in Toronto, the 73-year-old Queiroz became the oldest head coach to win a match in FIFA World Cup history.

This victory, combined with a hard-fought draw against England the following week, helped Ghana advance to the knockout stage as one of the best third-place finishers. Despite this achievement, the former Manchester United assistant coach still disapproves of third-place teams advancing to the knockout round.

After Ghana's 2–1 loss to Croatia in Philadelphia on Saturday, Queiroz told the media: "I think value comes from scarcity."

Queiroz said: "The number of teams that can qualify for this tournament could make it something vulgar and ordinary. If so many teams can advance, where is the scarcity? In my opinion, this is debatable, and of course this is just my personal view."

Queiroz took the Ghana coaching job in April of this year, making him only the second coach after the legendary Bora Milutinović to participate in five consecutive FIFA World Cups. He led Portugal at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and subsequently Iran at the following three FIFA World Cups. He also coached South Africa at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Queiroz clearly stands with the critics. Like other skeptics, he is particularly concerned that the expanded World Cup will undermine qualification campaigns.

Regarding how six of ten South American teams can now directly qualify for the FIFA World Cup, with the seventh-place team getting a second chance through intercontinental playoffs, Queiroz said: "Now in South America, the real achievement is actually not qualifying."

Queiroz said: "Who doesn't qualify in Europe? If everyone can qualify, qualification matches start to lose their meaning. Qualification matches should be serious; they should be very tough and highly competitive."

Queiroz said: "The FIFA World Cup should have meaning and weight; it should be scarce. But as you know, in today's football, money speaks."

Queiroz said: "We used to talk about football; now we talk about money-football."

Queiroz and Ghana next prepare for their round-of-16 match against Group K winners Colombia on July 3 in Kansas City.

Queiroz added: "I just told my players that the real fight for the FIFA World Cup begins in the next round."

Queiroz said: "The group stage is just a warm-up; advancing to the next round is like getting a credit card, but now you have to start paying back. Everything belongs to the winner, every match is a drama, no one can hide. That starts with the next game."

Übersetzt von KI.

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