“No, it is definitely not” – Andre Ayew insists AFCON 2021 isn’t his last
Captain of the Black Stars of Ghana, Andre Ayew, has disclosed that the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon will not be his last after Ghana’s exit from the tournament.
The Al Sadd forward couldn’t last for 90 minutes in Ghana’s must win last group game against Comoros as he was sent off for dangerous play and the Stars were embarrassingly eliminated after a 3-2 defeat to Comoros Islands in Garoua on Tuesday night.
Speaking to the media after the game, Ayew, 32, stated that Ghana’s failure to make it to the knockout phase of the competition for the first time since 2006 will not be the basis for his retirement from the team anytime soon.
Many Ghanaians have asked for complete scrap of the Black Stars to a start a rebuilding process with the Ayew brothers (Dede Ayew and Jordan Ayew) being the focus of the scrap but when asked if the 33rd edition of the competition would be his last showing for Ghana, Andre Dede Ayew said: “No, it is definitely not.”
Read: MTN FA Cup: Hearts of Oak reach last 16 with 5-2 win over Golden Kicks FC
Andre Ayew has featured in every AFCON since his debut in 2008, except 2013, and has two medals to his name – a silver medal in 2015 and bronze in 2008.
He has since featured in the competition on six occasions to join compatriot Asamoah Gyan, Geremi Njitap (Cameroon), Boubacar Barry (Cote d’Ivoire), Siaka Tiene (Cote d’Ivoire), Kolo Toure (Cote d’Ivoire), Essam El Hadary (Egypt), Hossam Hassan (Egypt), and Seidou Keita (Mali) as players with the second-most tournament appearances.
If Ayew’s statement is anything to go by, he could join Rigobert Song (Cameroon) and Egypt’s Ahmed Hassan in that hallowed rank of seven AFCON appearances should he feature at the 2023 edition of the championship to be hosted in Cote d’Ivoire.
