Antoine Semenyo: From Non-League to World Cup Stage as Ghana Faces England

Antoine Semenyo, the 26-year-old Ghanaian striker, is set to make his World Cup debut in a pivotal group stage match against England in Boston tonight. His journey from playing in front of fewer than 400 spectators to a crowd of 64,000 is a testament to his perseverance and rapid rise through the ranks of English football.

Rejected by multiple clubs as a youngster, Semenyo stopped playing football at the age of 15 before returning through college football rather than an academy system. He eventually earned a trial and a contract with Bristol City at 18, which led to a loan spell at Bath City in the National League South, where he scored six goals in nine appearances.

Jerry Gill, his former manager at Bath City, recalled that a hat-trick in a Somerset Premier Cup tie against Welton Rovers was the turning point in Semenyo's career. "I threw him in and he scored a hat-trick and that was the trigger really," Gill said. "We gave him an opportunity, and the rest is history." Gill praised Semenyo's physicality and attitude, noting that he trained tirelessly without complaint and quickly won over senior players.

Semenyo himself reflected on the challenges of non-league football, telling the All Out Football Podcast: "When I went to Bath, players are playing for mortgages, they need to pay bills and they need wins. It was tough at the start, I was getting red carded, pushed around, elbows flying. Gradually I got used to it and started performing." His loan at Bath was recommended by former professional Dave Hockaday, who had coached him at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College.

Now Ghana's main attacking hope, Semenyo leads the Black Stars into a crucial match against England. A win for either side will secure top spot in Group L and a place in the knockout stages. England enters as heavy favourites after a 4-2 win over Croatia, while Ghana edged Panama 1-0 in their opener. Semenyo's remarkable ascent from non-league to the World Cup highlights his determination, with his former manager Jerry Gill noting: "It was all down to him."