The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has unveiled a significantly expanded technical team for the Black Stars, headed by Coach Otto Addo, as early preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup intensify.
A series of strategic appointments, confirmed last Friday following consultations between the GFA and the head coach, aim to enhance the team’s technical, analytical, and medical support structure for the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The new additions are led by French tactician Alain Ravera, who joins as Assistant Coach bringing experience from roles with the Guinea national team and AS Monaco. He is accompanied by Black Queens head coach Kim Lars Björkegren, who will balance his duties with the women’s senior national team.
To strengthen performance analysis and scouting, Spanish coach José Daniel MartÃnez Alfonso, currently an assistant and video analyst with MLS side Atlanta FC, has been added to the setup.
The medical team sees the return of physiotherapist Carlos Lozano Romero, who worked with the squad during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Completing the key appointments is British-born Ghanaian performance specialist Dwayne Peasah Paa Kwesi, who takes on the role of Performance Coach.
The GFA emphasized that enlarging the technical team is a established practice when Ghana qualifies for major tournaments.
Signs of the new team’s activity are already evident. Assistant Coach Alain Ravera was present at the Baba Yara Stadium on Sunday for the MTN FA Cup clash between Asante Kotoko and Aduana FC, after also monitoring a Nations FC match last Saturday. Other technical team members were in Tarkwa to watch the Medeama versus Samartex game.
Head Coach Otto Addo has concurrently begun his own preparations, travelling across Europe to monitor potential players and connect with key figures in the squad, signaling an early shift into World Cup mode despite the tournament being months away.
Full Technical Team:
Otto Addo – Head Coach
John Paintsil – Assistant Coach
Winfried Schäfer – Technical Advisor
Gregory De Grauwe – Head of Video Analysis
Desmond Ofei – Assistant Coach
Kris Perquy – Team Psychologist
Issah Amadou – Equipment Officer
Alhassan Abdul Rahman – Equipment Officer
Alain Ravera – Assistant Coach
Kim Lars Björkegren – Assistant Coach
José Daniel MartÃnez Alfonso – Assistant Coach & Video Analyst
Carlos Lozano Romero – Team Physiotherapist
Dwayne Peasah Paa Kwesi – Performance Coach
Dr Prince Pambo – Team Doctor
Bonsu Derrick Kwame – Athletic Performance Specialist
Fatawu Dauda – Goalkeepers’ Trainer
Ameenu Shardow – Team Administrator
