Osei-Fosu questions Ayew’s place in Ghana’s World Cup plans

 

 

 

Former Ghana Premier League coach, Ignatius Osei-Fosu has urged Andre Ayew to step aside from the Ghana national football team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting the veteran forward may no longer be needed in the squad as the country looks to build for the future.

Osei-Fosu made the remarks in response to comments by Ghana’s Sports and Recreation Minister, Kofi Adams, who recently said he would not be surprised if Ayew is included in the Black Stars squad for the tournament scheduled for June.

But the former Ghana Premier League coach, who currently serves as assistant coach of the Sudan national team, believes the time has come for the 34-year-old to bow out of international football and allow younger players to take center stage.

Speaking in an interview with Luv FM, Osei-Fosu questioned whether the experienced attacker still fits into the team’s current plans.

“He might be a very, very good player,” he said. “But you ask yourself in this current setup, is he needed? Is he needed? For me, no.

“Dede is my man, but for me, you leave when the applause is high. Dede himself should let it go and then focus on his club football.”

Ayew recently joined Dutch side NAC Breda as a free agent in January and reminded fans of his quality on Sunday when he found the net in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Feyenoord in the Eredivisie.

Despite still performing at club level, Osei-Fosu maintained that national team selection should be based on present needs rather than past accomplishments.

The coach pointed to Italian legend Francesco Totti as an example of a player who stepped away from international duty to concentrate on club football at the right time.

“That’s why I like these white people,” he said. “At one point Totti was called up to the national team, but he said, ‘No, I want to focus on club football.”

Ayew remains one of Ghana’s most decorated players, having represented the Black Stars at four World Cups and captained the national team for several years. However, he has yet to formally retire from international football.

Black Stars head coach Otto Addo is expected to name Ghana’s final squad for the 2026 World Cup on June 1, a decision that could determine whether Ayew’s storied international career continues on the game’s biggest stage.