André Ayew: Pressure of being Abedi Pelé’s son made me stronger

Former Ghana captain André Ayew says the pressure of being compared to his legendary father, Abedi Pelé, helped make him a stronger and more resilient footballer.

Ayew opened up about the challenges of carrying his family name while trying to establish his own identity in the game during an appearance on the Obi One Podcast, hosted by former Chelsea and Nigeria midfielder John Obi Mikel.

The 36-year-old explained that the constant comparisons with his father, a three-time African Footballer of the Year, came with intense scrutiny, with some critics suggesting he owed his opportunities to Abedi Pelé’s reputation.

However, rather than allowing the criticism to undermine his confidence, Ayew said the pressure ultimately helped him develop the mental strength needed to succeed at the highest level.

“The pressure makes you crumble, but it made us stronger and tougher,” he said.

“People said I was only playing because of my dad. He always told me that if I wanted to play, I had to face that pressure. It was up to me to stand strong or crumble,” he added.

Abedi Pelé is one of Ghana’s most celebrated footballers, having won the African Footballer of the Year award three times and enjoyed a distinguished career at club and international level.

His achievements set a high standard for his sons, with André and his brother Jordan Ayew going on to represent Ghana at senior level.

André has carved out an impressive career of his own, becoming Ghana’s most-capped player at senior international level.

He has also played for several clubs across Europe and the Middle East, including Olympique Marseille, West Ham United, Swansea City, Al Sadd, Nottingham Forest, Le Havre and NAC Breda.