Ghana manager Otto Addo has stressed that he has the final say regarding the return of captain Andre Ayew to the national team.
Notably absent from the squad for the two recent World Cup qualifiers against Mali and Central African Republic (CAR), Ayew’s exclusion sparked discussions about his future with the Black Stars.
In Andre’s absence, his younger brother, Jordan Ayew, stole the spotlight, scoring four goals in the two games as Ghana revived their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
Jordan came off the bench to net the winner in the 2-1 victory against Mali in Bamako and followed it up with a hat-trick in the thrilling 4-3 win over CAR.
During the post-match press conference after the CAR game in Kumasi, Jordan was asked about his brother’s absence. Coach Otto Addo stepped in to respond.
“Let me talk for Jordan. It’s his brother,” Addo said. “Sure, he wants him to be next to him, but what will happen: it’s my decision, it’s our coaching staff’s decision.”
“As a brother, he would like him to be next to him. But, I have a responsibility for the national team, for Ghana, and I have to decide what is best for the team, and who knows? Maybe he’s there, maybe not, but I don’t know. Maybe I’m not there anymore. We don’t know. We don’t know what happens.”
The Black Stars are expected to return to action later this year for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. It remains to be seen whether Andre Ayew will be part of the squad for these matches.
