Photo Credit: Ghana Football Association/ghanafa.org
Leadership is an important element of every institution and football is not an exception. If there is any senior male national football team whose leadership or captaincy has been topical among connoisseurs of the game over the years, then it is the Black Stars of Ghana. Ranging from the Abedi Pele and Kwesi Appiah saga at the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal, to the almost visible cold war between Asamoah Gyan and Andre Ayew, these notable examples speak volumes about the topic.
The ongoing captain saga in the Ghana national team is nothing new with past examples including tension between Black Stars legends Andre Ayew (left) and Asamoah Gyan (right).
The issue of who leads Ghana’s senior national male team in competitions raised its ugly head one more time in the last weeks during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The experienced and talismanic Andre Ayew was the captain prior to the start of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers. However, declining form and consistent playing time in European club football saw the now 34-year-old losing his spot and eventually the armband - with the leadership automatically falling on his younger brother, Jordan Ayew. The Leicester City forward last strapped the armband in Ghana’s 1-1 draw against Niger at the Berkane Municipal Stadium in Morocco.
There was a sharp u-turn and in October's doubleheader against Sudan in Accra and in Libya, coach Otto Addo handed Mohammed Kudus the mantle much to the chagrin of the entire West African nation. Disaster ensued with only one point from the two matches leaving the Black Stars on the verge of missing out on the finals for the first time since the 2004 edition. Ghana goes into the penultimate qualifier against Angola in Luanda on November 15 with Otto Addo announcing that Jordan Ayew will wear the armband one more time.
“After I talked to Thomas Partey, I had to talk to Kudus [Mohammed]. I took the decision to make him captain because Thomas Partey was not there. Now, Thomas Partey is not there for the next two games. At the end I decided to take a new captain for the team which will be Jordan."
“So I talked to Kudus for him to understand that for me he still needs to learn and grow into that role. And I want him to be second captain alongside [Alexander] Djiku. But Jordan Ayew will take over now and he will lead and guide the team.” Addo said.
With Ghana's 2025 AFCON qualification hopes rapidly fading, coach Otto Addo decided to restore Jordan Ayew as captain for their final two qualifying matches.
Photo Credit: Ghana Football Association/ghanafa.org
Former Ghana international Anthony Obodai has credited the Black Stars coach for reinstalling Jordan Ayew as the captain, stating that it will go a long way to foster unity in camp. “Anytime Jordan Ayew starts a match, he has to be the captain. Even if he is introduced into a match in the second half, whoever has the armband should give it to Jordan Ayew”, Obodai told Pan-Africa Football.
“So Otto Addo took the right decision by reinstating Jordan Ayew as the captain and I don’t think it should be a problem in camp. Coach Addo should handle the captaincy issue properly or else there could be a sharp division among the squad,” He concluded.
Former Ghana national team midfielder Anthony Obodai believes current Black Stars coach Otto Addo made the right decision to reinstate Jordan Ayew as captain.
The Black Stars chances of booking a spot in Morocco 2025 look extremely bleak having raked home a paltry two points from four games. The team sits 3rd in group F on two points - five behind second placed Sudan and 10 adrift of leaders, Angola.
A double win in their last two games against Angola and Niger plus hopes of Sudan dropping all three points in two clashes is the only straw Ghana is hanging on to qualify for the next continental showpiece.
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