Mohammed Kudus's superb start to the 2025/26 season continued over the October international break, as he helped Ghana book their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Signed from rivals West Ham in the summer, Kudus has quickly developed into the attacking star of Thomas Frank's team. The masterful ball-retainer and determined dribbler is joint-top of the Premier League assist charts, and entered the break off the back of scoring his first goal for the club away at Leeds United.
It's hard to imagine Frank's outfit functioning without him, so seeing him return to Hotspur Way injury-free was all the majority of Spurs fans cared about. However, Kudus was playing for much more when he teamed up with his Ghanaian teammates over the break.
Mohammed Kudus becomes latest Spurs star to confirm World Cup place
Mohammed Kudus scored the only goal in a 1-0 win against Comoros to send @GhanaBlackstars to the @FIFAWorldCup for the fifth time in their history 🙌🇬🇭 pic.twitter.com/lvxTelnUSo
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 13, 2025
Kudus, who grew up in the "ghetto" (as he once described it) town of Nima, has previously said representing his country "means everything" to him. He'd recorded 44 Ghana caps before the October break, and has operated as a key figure in the Black Stars setup since he made his debut in 2019.
The maverick playmaker has already featured at a World Cup in 2022, but Ghana disastrously failed to qualify for the upcoming African Cup of Nations. Thus, there was huge pressure on Kudus and his countrymen to deliver during the qualifying process for next summer's World Cup.
They entered the final two matchdays atop Group I and in control of their own destiny, but recent failures may well have facilitated some angst within Otto Addo's squad. However, they made light work of the Cental African Republic in their first October outing, with Kudus recording an assist for the opening goal in their 5-0 rout.
Kudus and Semenyo guiding Ghana to another World Cup - you love to see it 🇬🇭🏆 pic.twitter.com/rOWs96rQs4
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 13, 2025
That set the stage for Tottenham's No. 20 to emerge as the hero when they faced recent nemesis, Comoros, who have won the previous two head-to-head meetings, at the weekend. Only a point was required, but Kudus’s tap-in just after the half-time interval secured a 1-0 win for the Black Stars.
As a result, Ghana became the fifth African nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, having reached five of the previous six. They were memorably quarter-finalists in 2010, although that achievement was one-upped by Morocco in Qatar.
There's bound to be heavy Spurs representation in North America next summer, with Kudus one of many poised to enjoy the biggest stage.