Should André Ayew end his international career with the Ghana Black Stars? At 34 years old, and after a disappointing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations for Ghana, voices are being raised to demand his departure from the national team. But a powerful figure intervenes in the face of these calls: Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, Ayew’s former teammate and close friend.
Agyemang-Badu, who shared strong moments with Ayew, notably during their U20 World Cup victory in 2009, ardently defends his former captain’s right to decide his own future. In an interview with Flashscore, he said:
André is one of my best friends, and I had the privilege of playing under his captaincy. If his body allows him to continue and the coaches count on him, he has every legitimacy to stay. We will all be behind him.
The recent choices of coach Otto Addo, who excluded Ayew from the selection for the CAN 2025 qualifiers against Angola and Niger, suggest a possible end to Ayew’s story with the Black Stars. But Agyemang-Badu is keen to stress that the ultimate decision lies with the coach and not outside voices:
We have a new coach who will do a good job, and it all depends on what he decides. If the coach thinks that André’s experience is necessary, we will all be behind him.
Agyemang-Badu goes further by saying that Ayew’s choice must be respected:
André knows his body better than anyone else. If tomorrow he decides to focus solely on his club, we will respect that decision and thank him for everything he has done for Ghana.
Senegal
