Jordan Ayew on Ghana Captaincy: ‘It Was Written in the Stars’

Ghana forward Jordan Ayew has described his appointment as the new Black Stars captain as a natural progression, saying it was “written in the stars.”

Jordan Ayew expresses pride in leading Ghana, calling his captaincy destiny

The 33-year-old Crystal Palace striker was handed the armband by head coach Otto Addo earlier this month, making him the third Ayew to lead the national team, following in the footsteps of his legendary father Abedi Pele and older brother André Ayew.

Speaking exclusively to Joy Sports, Ayew expressed his gratitude and acknowledged the influence of past captains on his leadership style.

"I’ve learned from the best – whether it’s Asamoah [Gyan] or André [Ayew]. I’ll try and pick up things from their qualities.
"I’ll keep on taking advice and learning from the things that have made me grow into who I am today.”

Ayew admitted that he never actively pursued the captaincy but believes it happened organically.

“I’m not someone who thinks about being captain or about leadership roles. I just want to enjoy playing football, winning games, scoring goals, and making people happy.
"There was a lot of talk, but I always stayed quiet in my corner. I don’t focus on all those things—it just happened naturally.”

Ayew will wear the Black Stars captain’s armband for the first time on Friday, March 21, when Ghana faces Chad in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Accra Sports Stadium.

With the team looking to bounce back from recent disappointments, fans are hopeful that Ayew’s leadership will spark a new era of success for Ghanaian football.