Jordan Ayew

On 17 June 2026, against Panama in Ghana's World Cup opener, Jordan Ayew won his 121st cap and passed his brother Andre Ayew as the most-capped player in Black Stars history. At 34 he was also the oldest man to play for Ghana at a World Cup.

A football family

Jordan Pierre Ayew was born on 11 September 1991 in Marseille, the son of the former Ghana captain Abedi Pele. His brothers Andre and Ibrahim also became professional footballers. He came through the youth teams of Lyon Duchere and Marseille.

Club career

He broke into the Marseille first team in 2009 and played 111 league games for the club before spells at Sochaux and Lorient, where he scored 12 league goals in 2014-15. Aston Villa signed him in July 2015, and in January 2017 he moved to Swansea City in a swap deal for Neil Taylor; he was Swansea's Players' Player of the Season in 2017-18. He joined Crystal Palace on loan in 2018 and permanently in July 2019, and in 2019-20 was Palace's Player of the Season. Leicester City signed him in August 2024. After Leicester released him in May 2026, he joined Sheffield United on 8 September 2026.

Black Stars

He made his Ghana debut against Swaziland on 5 September 2010 and scored a hat-trick against South Korea in June 2014. He has played at six Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, finishing runner-up in 2015, and at the 2014, 2022 and 2026 World Cups. Otto Addo made him captain in November 2024, and by July 2026 he had 124 caps and 34 goals. Ghana reached the round of 32 in 2026, losing 1-0 to Colombia.