14-03-2025
Andre Ayew 'snub' for Ghana Black Stars 2026 world cup qualifiers again mean di end of di captain career?
Ghana bin dey face crisis for dia football – failure to qualify for 2025 Africa cup of nations, di first time since 2004.
Di kontri wey don win di Afcon four times, appear for 24 editions of di tournament behind Egypt wey play for 26 tournaments and Cote D'Ivoire – 25 Afcons.
Pressure bin dey on Coach Otto Addo afta im supervise di failure of di team to qualify for di Afcon, but di Ghana football association (GFA) say dem get confidence say im go fit qualify di kontri for di 2026 world cup.
But sabi pipo don cast doubt ova di kontris chances even if dem qualify.
Apart from some ogbonge players wey bin suffer long-term injuries, one player wia some tok say im get experience to lead di young squad na captain Andre Dede Ayew.
But once again, di coach don snub di 35-year-old Le Havre midfielder – even though e dey fine for di French club.
Di last time im get call up for di national team na March 2024, since den, im neva return to di team.
In fact, Andre Ayew dey among di Ghana players abroad wey bin dey perform well for dia teams – togeda wit Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth), Ernest Nuamah (Lyon), Mohammed Kudus (Westham), Inaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao).
Andre for dis season don already score 4 goals wit 3 assists, for im second stint for di club afta im score 6 goals in 13 games last season wen im join di club.
Dis na time to finally retire from di national team?
For some sabi pipo like ogbonge sports journalist Kelvin Owusu Ansah, Andre Ayew im time for di senior national team don pass.
"Di coach dey try to rebuild fresh team as dem dey phase out di old squad, I tink say dis new team no dey need Andre sake of im club form no be extraordinary," Kelvin tok.
Im add say "national team football na different from club football – make we check 2010 wen we bin fade out Laryea Kingston, Stephen Appiah for new players like Andre Ayew at di time, di team bin bond well consistently wey dem get future wey bin last till now."
Ayew bin dey di heart of di Ghana team for more dan a decade – as im own papa Abedi Ayew Pele also be three-time African footballer of di year.
For February dis year, Andre Ayew tell BBC say, "I love di game I dey play wey I neva dey ready to stop."
Di 35-year-old get ova 17 years for professional football wia im still dey go strong for im career wey carry am play for eight oda clubs around di world.
But wetin dey make im still dey go strong?
Andre im journey na one of discipline, experience and passion for di game.
"Dis tins dey make I feel good," Ayew bin tell BBC Sport Africa.
"Pesin get to sacrifice to continue to dey stay on top all dis years."
But Ayew sabi wetin old age dey carry come – at dis point for im career.
"As we dey grow older, you get to train more. E don hard to stop yourself from eating some kind of food," im tok.
"We Africa pipo, we sabi good food, but at some point, you get to sacrifice."
Di coach go call Andre Ayew again?
Andre Ayew im future wit Ghana at dis moment no dey clear, as im no officially announce im retirement, but Ayew dey continue wit im club career.
Ogbonge sports journalist Kelvin Owusu Ansah tell BBC Pidgin say "Andre Ayew don pay im due, make im take one moment to reflect and tok to di Ghana football association (GFA) on wen im go officially retire so di football association go plan proper send-off for di 35-year-old."
While di Black Stars neva win major trophy in 43 years, Andre bin enjoy good times wit di team wia im be captain.
For im time wit di Black Stars, Andre don play more dan 120 games wit at least 21 goals.
Im coach Otto Addo tell journalists say "I dey respect Andre like any oda player – im do so much for di kontri, im get di most caps; im na legend."
Andre get chance for di 2026 world cup?
"I no tink say Andre get chance to be at dis world cup squad, im time don pass, even if Ghana qualify for dis year Afcon sef im no go get chance for di tournament," Kelvin Owusu explain.
"Wit im current form for di club level, you go tink say im get chance for di world cup, but tins don change, im go be liability if dem call am for di squad for di world cup."
For di mean time, im junior brother Jordan Ayew wey dey play for Leicester city, na di current captain for di team.
For di upcoming world cup qualifiers, im go lead di team togeda wit Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey and Westham star boy Mohammed Kudus.
Ghana dey group I for di world cup qualifiers wey dem go play against Chad for Accra on 17 March 2025, and Madagascar for Casablanca on 24 March 2025.
Di kontri currently dey second for di group wit 9 points from 4 games wey dem get 3 wins and 1 defeat to Comoros.
Full list of Coach Otto Addo 23 players call-up for di upcoming world cup qualifiers
Goalkeepers: Lawrence Ati-Zigi (FC St. Gallen), Joseph Wollacot (Crawley Town), Benjamin Asare (Hearts of Oak)
Defenders: Gideon Mensah (AJ Auxerre), Ebenezer Annan (Red Star Belgrade), Mohammed Salisu (AS Monaco), Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Basakehir), Alexander Djiku (Fenerbahce), Jonas Adjetey (FC Basel), Razak Simpson (Nations FC), Kingsley Schindler (Samsunspor), Kamaradin Mamudu (Medeama SC)
Midfielders: Thomas Partey (Arsenal), Elisha Owusu (AJ Auxerre), Abu Francis (Cercle Brugge), Kudus Mohammed (Westham United), Ernest Nuamah (Lyon)
Forwards: Antoine Semenyo (AFC Bournemouth, Kamaldeen Sulemana (Southampton), Jordan Ayew (Leicester City), Jerry Afriyie (CD Lugo), Inaki Williams (Athletic Club Bilbao), Christopher Bonsu Baah (Genk)
