Retired Ghana Defender Provides Formula on How Ghana Can Breeze Past Ronaldo’s Portugal

• Ex-Black Stars fullback John Paintsil has given a word of caution to the Black Stars ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup
• Ghana will play Portugal in Group H's opener and Paintsil has urged the Black Stars not to place emphasis on leading marksman Cristiano Ronaldo
• Paintsil was a member of the Black Stars squad that played at Ghana's maiden World Cup appearance in 2006 and also played a key role in Ghana's road to the quarterfinals at the next edition

Former Fulham and Black Stars defender John Paintsil has advised the Black Stars not to channel their energies towards Cristiano Ronaldo when Ghana plays Portugal at Qatar 2022.

The Black Stars play Portugal in Group H's opener on November 24 at Stadium 974 in a repeat of Ghana's last group game at the 2014 World Cup, where Cristiano Ronaldo powered the Europeans to a 2-1 win.

Ahead of the showdown later this year, John Paintsil, who made 83 appearances for Ghana, reckons the Manchester United talisman does not carry the same firepower he had eight years ago.

A complete profile of Nigeria's national football team, what have they achieved?

Football

Hence, he wants the team to concentrate on the game plan of the 2016 European champions instead of targeting Ronaldo.

“They don’t need to focus on Ronaldo; they need to focus on their game plan because as a player going into a game you don’t look at an individual. Ronaldo is still good but he can’t run but when he receives the ball before you get to him, he can use it so it’s only close marking," he told Graphic Sports.

Paintsil urges Ghana not to play with anger against Uruguay at the World Cup

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that ex-Ghana defender John Paintsil has urged the Black Stars to throw away any form of anger when Ghana cross swords with Uruguay at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Ghana's Group H game against the South American nation has been dubbed a 'Revenge game' by most Ghanaians following the heart-aching loss to the two-time World champions in 2010.

The Journey of Burundi's national football team amidst years of chaos and turmoil

Football

The Black Stars were on the cusp of World Cup history when they played against Uruguay in the quarterfinals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup but for the act of 'bravery' on the part of Luis Suarez, who handled a goal-bound effort denied Ghana and Africa a semifinal berth.