‘I don’t think about retirement, my body will tell me when it’s due’ – Ayew
André Ayew says retirement at this time is not something he thinks about because his body feels good and he prepares for every day with optimism. This statement is a reflection of a player whose career has been defined by longevity, resilience, and continuous reinvention.
At 36 years old, few footballers have maintained a top-level professional career as long as Ayew. From his early days at Olympique de Marseille to long spells in England’s Premier League with stints at Swansea City and West Ham United, and later in Qatar and France, Ayew has never been content to call time on himself even when many expected that transition to come earlier.
Speaking to ESPN, Andre Ayew, who is the most capped player for the Black Stars said he fells good in his body and now is not the moment to call time on his career.
I never thought about it (retirement) because my body is good, I feel good. I live my life day to day so I prepare myself every time to have a better tomorrow on the field and off the field.
I don’t think about that. When the moment comes, your body will tell you”, Andre Ayew told ESPN
This philosophy echoes past interviews where he insisted he was “not ready to quit football” despite advancing age, saying he still loves the game and feels capable of contributing.
Club Comeback: NAC Breda and Staying Competitive
After leaving Le Havre AC at the end of the 2024/25 season, Ayew spent much of the summer and early autumn of 2025 without a club. That period fueled questions about whether his career might be winding down.
But in January 2026, he signed a short-term deal with NAC Breda in the Dutch Eredivisie, keeping himself in competitive action and demonstrating his willingness to keep pushing himself.
His contract runs through the end of the 2025/26 season with an option to extend, a signal that both club and player are open to prolonging the relationship if it works out.
The move to Breda—a club fighting relegation—isn’t just about minutes. It’s also about leadership and experience at a crucial stage of his career. Breda see him as someone who can galvanize a struggling team, and Ayew sees it as an opportunity to keep performing at a level that might still turn heads.
International Scene: Black Stars and the 2026 World Cup
Despite his enduring club career, Ayew’s Black Stars future has been uncertain in recent times. He hasn’t been called up since March 2024, as head coach Otto Addo opted for a squad refresh that has favoured younger players even when Ayew was enjoying decent form at club level in France.
Addo has publicly avoided committing to Ayew’s recall, emphasizing respect for him but not discussing his international future in detail.
That omission matters because Ghana have now qualified for their fifth World Cup, reaching the 2026 finals under Addo’s guidance, a progress made after a disappointing absence from AFCON 2025.
Yet the Black Stars’ squad selection for World Cup the finals—the first 48-team World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico—is still unfolding. Even though Ayew is one of Ghana’s most capped players, the lack of recent call-ups suggests he would need exceptional form at club level to force a late inclusion.
Ayew’s quote about retirement isn’t just about delaying the inevitable but it reflects a competitive spirit and a belief that he still has something to offer. Few players of his age continue to seek challenges in Europe’s professional leagues rather than moving straight to lower-pressure environments.
Whether he ends up at the 2026 World Cup remains an open question. It depends not only on his fitness and performances with NAC Breda but also on whether the Ghana coaching staff feel his experience outweighs the momentum of younger options.
But one thing Ayew has proven throughout his career from playing for Ghana at multiple World Cups and AFCONs to captaining sides across Europe is that he makes his own path.
Retirement, for now, is still a spectator in the stands.