Carlos Queiroz has denied reports that he resigned as head coach of the Black Stars, clarifying that his social media post following Ghana's World Cup exit was simply "a message of gratitude."
Hours after Ghana were knocked out of the tournament by Colombia in the Round of 32, Queiroz posted a farewell message on Facebook, thanking the President, the Ghana Football Association, his players, staff, and fans . The post, which ended with "Thank you, Ghana. The journey starts now," was widely interpreted as confirmation of his departure.
However, in a chance encounter with a fan on the street, the 73-year-old Portuguese coach was asked: "Why did you resign?" To which he replied: "I didn't resign".
Queiroz then explained the meaning of his Instagram post, stating: "I sent my message of gratitude".
The confusion surrounding his future has been compounded by the terms of his contract. Queiroz, who was appointed in April, signed a short-term deal that reportedly runs until the end of July. His assistant, Roger De Sa, confirmed in an interview with South African outlet KickOff: "I was only contracted until the end of July, so that's it".
De Sa added: "I don't know if that's official, I have only seen it on social media. But I don't think that is from him because he would have told me if that's the case" .
Queiroz had been widely expected to leave after his four-month contract expired, and reports in Portugal had already suggested he would not be staying on . The GFA has not officially confirmed any change.
Queiroz took over the Black Stars in April with just two months to prepare for the World Cup. Despite the short preparation time, he led Ghana to the knockout stage for the first time since 2010, with the team finishing third in Group L after a win over Panama, a draw against England, and a narrow loss to Croatia.
The coach's brief tenure saw him become only the third manager in history to take charge at five World Cups. He leaves behind a defensive foundation that many believe can be built upon for future tournaments.
