JORDAN AYEW LEADS GHANA TO 2026 WORLD CUP, MAKES HISTORY AS FIFTH CAPTAIN

By: Isaac Amponsah (Dr Ike) and Aaron Kintoh 

Jordan Ayew has etched his name into Ghanaian football history as the fifth captain of the Black Stars to lead the team to FIFA World Cup qualification. 

With Jordan having taken over the captaincy from Thomas Partey, long after making his first senior appearance for Ghana on September 5, 2010, in a 3–0 2012 AFCON Qualification match win against Swaziland at the Somhlolo National Stadium in Lobamba, Swaziland.

Football runs deep in the Ayew family, with both Jordan's father Abedi Pele and brother Andre Ayew having previously captained the four-time continental champions.

The 34-year-old took over the armband from his elder sibling, who was left out of the squad by head coach Otto Addo for FIFA World Cup qualification Group I games against Chad and Madagascar. 

Jordan's leadership played a pivotal role in Ghana's qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Ghana joins a select group of nations qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, with Jordan Ayew joining an elite list of captains who led Ghana to World Cup qualification:

Stephen Appiah was Ghana's first captain to write his name in the history books as the first team captain to secure a World Cup qualification, which was held in Germany, the 2006 Germany World Cup.

Followed by John Mensah, who also chalked up the success of becoming the second captain of the Black Stars to book a ticket for Ghanaians to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Asamoah Gyan followed in the footsteps of both Stephen Appiah and John Mensah to add his name to the history of captains who have secured World Cup Qualification for Ghana. He qualified Ghana for the 2014 Brazil FIFA World Cup.

Ghana failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup held in Russia, after qualifying for three consecutive World Cups.

Ghana's Black Stars bounced back to secure a spot for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup during the tenure of captain Andre Dede Ayew, marking Ghana's fourth World Cup.

Black Stars skipper Jordan Ayew has led Ghana to qualify for its 5th FIFA World Cup in the nation's history. 

The 33-year-old striker had 14 goal contributions in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers, with 10 caps, 7 goals, and 7 assists during the qualifying campaign.

Ghana sealed their spot at next summer's 2026 World Cup in Mexico, Canada, and the United States of America after a 1-0 win over Comoros on Sunday, finishing as group winners with an impressive 25 points. 

The Black Stars concluded the campaign with eight wins, one draw, and one loss, topping Group I with a six-point margin.