Augustine Arhinful: Carlos Queiroz must decide Andre Ayew’s World Cup fate

Former Ghana international Augustine Arhinful believes any decision on Andre Ayew’s inclusion in Ghana’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup should rest solely with the Black Stars coach.

Ayew, 36, has not featured for the national team since Ghana’s campaign at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

After spending the opening half of the 2025/26 season without a club, the experienced forward secured a move to Dutch side NAC Breda and has since returned to competitive football.

His comeback has sparked debate over whether he should be recalled to the Black Stars ahead of this summer’s World Cup in North America.

Speaking to GhanaWeb, Arhinful urged patience as Ayew works to regain full sharpness after a lengthy spell out of action.

He added that while the veteran attacker still has qualities to offer, selection should be based on the needs of the team rather than sentiment.

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

“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.

“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 added.

Carlos Queiroz will announce the final Black Stars squad on June 1.