Former Ghanaian footballer Mohammed Polo has voiced his approval of Otto Addo's choice to exclude Andre Ayew from the Black Stars squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup Qualifiers against Mali and the Central African Republic.
Addo, the ex-Borussia Dortmund coach, made headlines with his decision, prompting varied reactions. However, for Polo, it's a logical move that he fully endorses.
In response to the exclusion, Polo emphasized the cyclical nature of football careers, asserting that every player experiences peaks and declines.
He urged Ayew to accept this reality gracefully, stating, "Football is like that, everyone has their time. It is natural that anything that has a start, has an end. All of us should be playing by now if is not normal in football. He should take it in good faith.
Reflecting on past transitions in team leadership, Polo drew a parallel to Asamoah Gyan's passing of the captain's armband to Ayew before departing from the national team. He sees Ayew's situation as a natural progression in the team's dynamics.
“When Gyan was leaving the national team, they took the captainship from him to Dede and he left. That is exactly what is happening to the latter too,” Polo said in an interview with Connect 97.1FM.
Ayew's omission from the Black Stars squad marks the first since 2023, when Ghana suffered defeats against Mexico and the USA in international friendlies.
