Ghana winger Ernest Nuamah says he leaves the 2026 FIFA World Cup with pride and valuable lessons despite the Black Stars’ exit from the tournament.

The Olympique Lyonnais attacker was a surprise inclusion in Carlos Queiroz’s squad after spending much of the season recovering from injury. However, he made a meaningful contribution, starting Ghana’s opening group match against Panama before featuring as a substitute against Croatia and Colombia.

Nuamah also provided the assist for Derrick Luckassen’s goal in Ghana’s 2-1 defeat to Croatia in Philadelphia, one of his standout moments at the tournament.

Reflecting on the campaign in a post on Instagram, the 22-year-old expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent Ghana on football’s biggest stage.

“Walking away from the biggest stage in the world with my head held high,” he wrote. “We fought with everything we had and gave our all to make our nation proud. Although we fell short, this journey has taught us invaluable lessons that will stay with us forever.”

He also thanked Ghanaians and supporters for their unwavering encouragement throughout the competition.

Nuamah is currently enjoying a short vacation following the World Cup but is expected to return to France in the coming days to begin pre-season preparations with Olympique Lyonnais.

The Black Stars will regroup in October for the start of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.