Ghana’s national team has bolstered its technical bench with the appointment of experienced Portuguese coach Daniel Gaspar as goalkeepers’ trainer ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Gaspar, whose arrival was confirmed by his club Hartford Athletic, joins the Black Stars under newly appointed head coach Carlos Queiroz, rekindling a coaching partnership that has lasted more than 30 years.
The two first began working together in 1992 and have since built one of football’s longest-standing professional relationships, collaborating across several national teams and club assignments around the world.
Widely regarded as one of the game’s leading goalkeeping specialists, Gaspar brings a wealth of international experience to Ghana’s setup. His coaching journey has included multiple roles within Portugal’s national team structure, where he worked with various youth teams in the early 1990s and later returned between 2009 and 2010.
His résumé also includes spells with South Africa’s national team, Portuguese giants Sporting CP and Benfica, Japanese side Nagoya Grampus Eight, and Major League Soccer outfit NY/NJ MetroStars.
In 2003, Gaspar served as Portugal’s goalkeeping coach under Luiz Felipe Scolari, further enhancing his reputation as a top-level specialist in player development and tactical preparation.
He reunited with Queiroz in 2011 as part of Iran’s national team coaching staff, where he worked as assistant coach and goalkeeping trainer. Their partnership helped guide Iran to qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and a strong run to the quarter-finals of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.
More recently, Gaspar has been instrumental in Hartford Athletic’s rise since joining the club in 2022. Under his guidance, the American side enjoyed two of the most successful campaigns in their history in 2024 and 2025, including securing their first major trophy.
Hartford have also shown defensive solidity this season, keeping four clean sheets in their opening seven matches — a reflection of Gaspar’s influence on the team’s goalkeeping unit.
His appointment comes at a crucial time for Ghana, as the Black Stars prepare for their fifth FIFA World Cup appearance. Drawn in Group L, Ghana will face Panama in their opening match on June 17 before taking on England on June 23 and Croatia on June 27.
With expectations high, Queiroz has been handed the responsibility of steering Ghana beyond the group stage — a feat the Black Stars failed to achieve in their last two World Cup appearances in 2014 and 2022.
Gaspar’s arrival is expected to add valuable experience, technical expertise, and continuity to a Ghana side aiming to make a deep run on football’s biggest stage.
