Antoine Semenyo

Antoine Semenyo is a Ghana forward whose threat starts with a defender's uncertainty. He can carry the ball at speed on either wing, then shoot or cross with either foot. That means showing him inside does not reliably close off the attack: he can still go outside and deliver. His powerful runs also give a team an immediate outlet after winning possession.

The route to that stage was unusually broad. After early trials failed to bring a place at a major London club, Semenyo went to college in Gloucestershire and earned an opening at Bristol City. Loans to Bath City, Newport County and Sunderland took him through non-league football and the lower professional divisions. At Newport, he was regularly used wide after beginning as a central forward.

Semenyo became a regular in Bristol City's Championship side before Bournemouth signed him in January 2023. Under Andoni Iraola, the winger fitted a side that pressed for the ball and attacked quickly when it was recovered. He could receive a forward pass, cover ground with the ball and turn a turnover into a shot. His ability to use both feet let Bournemouth switch him between the flanks without losing that direct route to goal.

Manchester City signed him from Bournemouth in January 2026. His first City appearance, against Exeter City in the FA Cup, showed both parts of his game: a burst down the left and low cross created one goal, then a run beyond the defence brought him one of his own. He later described a different lesson from Pep Guardiola: varying his speed against a full-back instead of accelerating every time.

His first months at City brought team honours as well as individual moments. City beat Arsenal in the 2026 League Cup final. In May, Semenyo's backheel finish against Chelsea decided the FA Cup final, giving City a second domestic cup that season. The cup wins belong to the team; the decisive FA Cup goal was his own contribution.

For Ghana, Semenyo was selected for the 2026 World Cup and started the opening group match against Panama. He worked from the right and carried the ball forward as Ghana won 1–0. The team advanced from its group before its campaign ended in the round of 32. That international role showed the same direct running in a different setting, with defensive tracking also part of his work.