England’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup has brought back one of the most unusual stories in international football: the alleged “curse” that some Ghana fans claim to have cast on Harry Kane.
It all goes back to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when the England striker missed a decisive penalty against France that would have meant the equalizer for England in the quarterfinals. That shot went over the crossbar and knocked the English out of the tournament.
Since then, some Ghana supporters have maintained that the mistake was no coincidence. According to local media reports, several voodoo practitioners allegedly performed rituals against Kane as a kind of footballing “revenge” for the controversial penalty that eliminated Ghana from the 2010 World Cup.
That elimination remains an open wound for many Ghana fans. In South Africa 2010, Ghana was seconds away from becoming the first African national team to reach a World Cup semifinal, but a handball by Luis Suárez prevented a goal on the line. Ghana missed the ensuing penalty and ended up losing in the shootout.
Now, every time Kane goes through a difficult moment in a major tournament, the story resurfaces on social media.
A witch doctor promised to “work” on Harry Kane before the match… and now many are talking about voodoo at the World Cup
The black magic subplot in football returns in 2026, as Harry Kane is once again said to have been a victim of the spirits: this time at the hands of Nana Kwaku Bonsam, one of Ghana’s best-known witch doctors.
Before the clash between Ghana and England, Bonsam issued a warning that quickly went viral on social media.
“I am working on Harry Kane. I have already shown what I am capable of and I know what I must do to stop him. It will not be a serious injury, but enough to help my country”, he said.
The statements sparked all kinds of reactions, from those who took it as simple superstition to those who remembered that the witch doctor had already been involved in similar controversies in the past.
The striking part came during the match. Kane had a quiet performance, was little involved in attack, and had only one clear chance to score. When he finally had the opportunity, he sent the ball over the bar.
The sequence was enough for thousands of fans to start joking on social media that the alleged ritual had worked.
But the plot does not end there, as Bonsam has now made an unexpected turn.
“I am the most powerful spiritualist in the world. Now I am going to free Harry Kane so that he can score in England’s next match”, Bonsam said recently, now deciding to remove the curse before the next World Cup match.
The statements went viral and prompted thousands of comments among fans. Some took the case with humor, while others pointed out that these are simply superstitions with no real effect on sporting performance.
The truth is that England’s next match will have an extra element: many will be watching Kane, not only for his goals, but also to see whether the famous witch doctor kept his new promise.
Because if the striker scores, more than a few will say the “spiritual release” worked. And if he does not score, the story will probably keep adding chapters.
Here is the video of the Ghanaian removing the curse: