West Ham forward Michail Antonio has spoken about the decision to leave Andre Dede Ayew out of the Ghana national team. He shared that it is common for older players to be replaced by younger talents in football.
Antonio drew comparisons to his own experiences at West Ham, where the club has signed younger strikers like Sebastian Haller, Gianluca Scamacca, and Niclas Füllkrug to take his place.
“He’s getting a bit older now, obviously, and new boys are coming in. It’s normal and happens to all footballers. You get through the older players and try to bring in someone new. It’s the same with me at West Ham. Every year they try to replace me with young players, but I’m still here,” Antonio explained.
The 34-year-old Jamaican international added that aging is a natural part of a footballer’s career. Teams often bring in fresh players when older ones begin to lose certain physical qualities.
“At the end of the day, players get older, and teams look for something new. They look for younger players with fresh energy because the things you could do when you were younger, you might not be able to do now. You’re not as fast or sharp as before, so it’s normal,” he said.
Andre Ayew’s absence from the Black Stars began in June 2024 when he was left out of the squad for World Cup qualifiers against the Central African Republic and Mali. Black Stars coach Chris Hughton said he personally informed Ayew in France about the decision, but Ayew reportedly disagreed with the explanation.
Ayew, who played for West Ham between 2016 and 2018, was teammates with Antonio during that period and scored nine Premier League goals in 40 games. Since his exclusion, the 33-year-old forward has not been recalled to the Ghana squad.
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