Andre Ayew: Africa can reach the next level
WITH the twilight of an eventful career slowly approaching, Andre Ayew now finds himself on the cusp of the big time with Ghana in Qatar. And coach Otto Addo’s right-hand man thinks they have every chance of getting through Group H.
Ayew shares his World Cup ambitions with FIFA+:
After missing out on the 2018 World Cup, Ghana have finally made it back to the biggest stage. How much are you looking forward to it?
We couldn’t be any prouder or happier to be back on the world stage. All of us know what a big deal this is for people worldwide. I feel that now we’re back, at long last, we’ve put the disappointment of 2018 behind us.
The Ghana team has many young players alongside several seasoned pros. As captain, what are your feelings going into the finals?
I’ve grown up and played alongside different generations, over two World Cups. I’ve learned a lot from them, and I still feel fit and strong enough to play at this level. I had the honour of leading my country to qualification. It was a great experience, but the focus now has to be on helping the youngsters and convincing them that we can progress, for ourselves as a team as well as for the country. I enjoy every moment.
How is the relationship with your brother Jordan in the team?
Both of us are capable of making our own mark and playing at the highest level. We’ll go out there to do our best for Ghana and make the country proud. I played in two World Cups, Jordan in one, so we know what to expect but it’s ultimately a collective effort, not just the two of us. The whole team has to come together, work hard and give our best. I think each of the players has what it takes to make their country proud on this world stage.
You’ve been drawn alongside Uruguay, the team that ended Ghana’s fairy-tale journey in 2010. Does the chance to settle a score motivate you that bit more?
Football’s not about taking revenge. We simply want to win and make our country proud. It will be our last group game, so I just hope whatever result we get is enough to make it through to the next round. We have to focus on the here and now – what happened before is irrelevant today. We have to do our best to make the continent proud, because playing the World Cup is actually for the whole of Africa, not just Ghana alone. And that’s really all we intend to focus on.
How much support do you think Ghana will have in the stadiums?
I think it will be off the scale. I think we’ll see a lot of Ghanaians in Qatar to support us and watch the games, but I also know how much the matches mean to them. I was in Ghana in 2006, the year after I joined the national team. I know what it means for the nation. The guys back home drive around like crazy and honk their horns. I share the vibe, both as a supporter and a player.
You also face Portugal and Korea Republic in your group. How challenging will that be?
Portugal are up there among the favourites and their quality stands out. Not to mention having one of the best players in the world in Cristiano Ronaldo. It promises to be a momentous occasion and we have to live up to what people expect. We will fight and give our all on the pitch. Korea Republic also have a very strong and solid team, who all know each other well. It’s a very tough group. I think the teams are more or less on a par, apart from Portugal, who are favourites.
Otto Addo is a living legend in Ghana, but this is his first ever World Cup. What’s it like working with a manager like him?
We are delighted. He’s a former national team player, now the manager and it was he who got us through the last two games against Nigeria to the World Cup. He’s doing a great job and we’re all behind him and plugging away. He’s shown that Africans can make it to the next level.