Former Ghana international Augustine Arhinful believes any decision on André Ayew’s inclusion in the Black Stars squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup should be left entirely to the head coach.
Ayew, 36, has not featured for Ghana since the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire. After spending the first half of the 2025/26 season without a club, the experienced forward secured a move to Dutch side NAC Breda.
His return to club football has reignited debate over a possible recall to the national team ahead of this summer’s World Cup in North America.
Speaking to GhanaWeb, Arhinful urged patience as Ayew works to regain full match fitness after a long spell away from competitive action.
The former striker, however, did not rule out a potential return, noting that Ayew’s leadership and professionalism could still be valuable to the squad if he returns to top form.
“Dede was not active from the beginning of the season. He got a club in December 2025, and in January 2026, he started playing, so let’s allow him to play his game.
“His club is still battling relegation, so let’s allow him to come back to the shape that we want him to be.
“We can’t say that because he’s played for the team before, we should give him a final goodbye—no. We are going into a competition where we need players; every player selected is needed.
“If the coach feels that he should be part of his team, why not? Maybe his professionalism and his leadership qualities will come to bear,” he added.
Carlos Queiroz is expected to announce the final Black Stars squad on June 1.
