Dede Ayew must earn his place in the World Cup squad - Augustine Ahinful

Former Black Stars forward, Augustine Ahinful, has weighed in on the growing debate surrounding the potential return of Andre Ayew to Ghana’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting that the veteran must prove he still deserves a place.

Speaking in an interview with Frank-Kamal Acheampong on GhanaWeb’s Sports Check, Ahinful urged caution, highlighting Ayew’s recent lack of consistent football before his move earlier this year.

“Dede was not active from the beginning of the season. He got a club in December 2025, 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,” he said.

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Ayew, Ghana’s most-capped player and a long-serving captain of the Black Stars, has been a central figure for over a decade.

However, with Ghana pushing for a strong showing at the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup, competition for places is expected to be fierce.

Ahinful was clear that sentiment should not influence selection decisions.

“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,” he added.

Still, he did not entirely rule Ayew out, pointing instead to what the forward could still offer beyond the pitch.

“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 said.

Watch the full interview below:



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