Andre Ayew: I’m not ready to quit football

Captain of the Black Stars, Andre Ayew,  has reaffirmed his commitment to the national team, stating he is not ready to retire despite uncertainty surrounding his future with Ghana’s football squad.

With 120 caps, Ayew holds the record for the most appearances for Ghana. Although he has not featured for the Black Stars in the past year, he remains open to a return and made it clear that he has not ended his international career.

"I love what I’m doing, and I’m not ready to stop," he said in a recent interview.

Now 35, the Le Havre forward is eager to continue playing at a high level, an age at which many footballers choose to retire.

"It makes you feel good," Ayew told BBC Sport Africa. "There’s a lot of sacrifice involved in staying at the top level for this long."

"As you're growing older, you need to train more. It's even harder to stop yourself from eating certain foods," he said.

Ayew’s comments hint at a possible return to the Black Stars as Ghana prepares for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Madagascar in March.

In May 2024, Black Stars coach Otto Addo omitted Ayew from his 26-man squad for World Cup qualifiers against Mali and the Central African Republic in June. 

Similarly, in August 2024, Ayew was left out of the 23-man squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Angola and Niger.

Despite these omissions, Ayew, who has been a key figure for Ghana for over a decade, continues to be a prominent name in African football. 

Following in the footsteps of his father, Abedi Pele, Ayew has yet to win a major trophy with the Black Stars but has had many notable moments, including deep runs at the Africa Cup of Nations and Ghana’s historic 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign, where the team came within inches of a semi-final spot.

Ayew made his international debut in August 2007 during a friendly against Senegal and became a regular starter at the 2008 AFCON. 

Over the years, he has featured in a joint-record eight AFCON tournaments and three World Cups.

He rejoined Le Havre on October 4, 2024, signing a one-year deal after his previous contract expired in the summer.