Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has praised Black Stars coach Carlos Queiroz, revealing the Portuguese coach played a major role in the club’s Champions League success under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Neville said Queiroz’s tactical ideas were crucial during Manchester United’s 2007/2008 Champions League campaign, especially in the semi-final against Barcelona.
United defeated Barcelona 1-0 on aggregate before going on to win the trophy. Neville explained that Queiroz introduced a defensive structure that helped the team control the game against Barcelona’s attacking stars.
According to Neville, Queiroz used a similar approach during Ghana’s goalless draw against England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“Against Barcelona, he put a mat, like a yoga mat, in the middle of the pitch in a small area, and he told Scholes or Carrick, ‘You’ve always got to be stood on that mat when we’re attacking or defending.’ He literally did exactly that today with Partey, slightly differently. I thought, ‘He’s going to get a nil-nil here, or maybe a one-nil.’”
Neville described Queiroz as a coach who focused heavily on discipline, positioning, and tactical shape.
He said Queiroz’s approach helped United neutralize a Barcelona side featuring players such as Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto’o, Xavi, and Andres Iniesta.
“Man United with Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez, Giggs, Scholes, we were blasting everyone away. But Carlos said, ‘This is a different game.’ He sat us five yards outside our own box in a 4-5-1, with Ronaldo up front. Ji-Sung Park and Rooney played wide, and we kept a clean sheet against Barcelona for 180 minutes.”
Neville added that Queiroz’s decision to prioritize defensive organization was different from the approach United took against Barcelona in later years, when they tried to attack more and suffered a heavy defeat.
He believes Ghana’s disciplined performance against England showed the same tactical intelligence that helped Manchester United succeed in Europe.
“Messi, Eto’o, Henry, Iniesta, and Xavi were all there. The year after, we tried to take them on punch for punch and got hammered. But in 2008, it was his dream scenario, four at the back, one sitting, and that space controlled.”
The Black Stars’ result against England has increased attention on Queiroz’s tactical methods as Ghana continues its World Cup campaign.
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