Former Ghana captain André Ayew says he deliberately chose not to publicly challenge his omission from the Black Stars squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup because he did not want to “spit on my country”.
The 36-year-old was speaking on former Chelsea and Nigeria midfielder John Obi Mikel’s Obi One Podcast, where he reflected on his exclusion from Ghana’s squad and the controversy that followed.
Ayew, who captained the Black Stars at the 2021 and 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2022 World Cup, said he was aware that many supporters questioned the decision, particularly because he was playing regularly for Dutch club NAC Breda.
“I was playing regularly for NAC Breda, and I know some people were calling for me to be part,” he said.
“To be fair, some of the players who went to the World Cup, they didn’t have a lot of game time in the season.”
The former Swansea City, West Ham United and Marseille forward said there was significant public discussion over his omission, but he decided against responding.
“People said a lot of things,” Ayew said.
He acknowledged that he felt hurt by his treatment by some individuals within Ghana football and sections of the media, but said his commitment to the national team prevented him from speaking out.
“A lot of people in the [GFA, media and elsewhere] did me a lot of wrong. I felt it. But I did not say one word [because] I cannot spit on my country because of certain people. Ghana is more important.”
Ayew remains Ghana’s most-capped player and has featured at several Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and World Cups.
His omission from the 2026 World Cup squad generated considerable debate among supporters and pundits, with many arguing that his experience and leadership could have been valuable to the team.
Despite his exclusion, Ayew said his loyalty to Ghana remained more important to him than his personal disappointment.
