tripped of Shirt Number And Captain’s Armband: Is Andre Ayew being forced to retire from Black Stars?
The fate of Black Stars skipper André Ayew with the national team remains uncertain as he is set to miss yet another international assignment in March 2025, according to multiple reports.
The Le Havre forward has not featured for the Black Stars in over a year and has reportedly lost his captaincy and shirt number in the process.
His prolonged absence, coupled with a reported change in leadership within the team, has sparked speculation that he is being forced out of the national setup.
According to Joy Sports, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) will soon announce a new captaincy structure, with André Ayew omitted from the list.
His younger brother, Jordan Ayew, is set to be named the new captain, while Alexander Djiku will take the first deputy role after Thomas Partey, who previously served as vice-captain, declined to retain the position.
Regarding Ayew’s iconic number 10 shirt, it has seemingly been handed to Mohammed Kudus, who wore it during the 2025 AFCON qualifiers. Reports suggest that the West Ham United star will continue wearing it for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
In addition to losing his captaincy and shirt number, head coach Otto Addo has hinted that the former Olympique Marseille star is not in his plans.
“We are looking at the future and focusing on long-term development. That’s mainly why we invited younger players and left out André Ayew,” he explained after excluding the veteran in his latest squad selection.
Despite these developments, the 34-year-old has made it clear that he has no intention of retiring from international duty.
“I love what I’m doing, and I’m not ready to stop,” he told BBC in an interview.
André Ayew is currently in good form for Le Havre in the 2024/25 season, leading the club’s scoring charts with three goals.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
