Former Black Stars captain, John Mensah
Black Stars captains in recent years have had rough exits from their international careers, often being forced out of the team.
Current skipper Andre Dede Ayew appears to be facing a similar situation, given head coach Otto Addo’s decision to sideline him for over a year.
In his recent comments, the manager noted that Ayew has dropped down the pecking order and that he will call on the former FIFA U-20 World Cup winner when necessary.
“For Andre [Dede Ayew], the team is always open, and I am watching. If we need him, we will call him. At the moment, I see others ahead of him,” he told Joy Sports.
This aligns with his previous statements, in which he emphasised prioritising younger players as part of his long-term project with the Black Stars.
“I said it last time, the reason we selected some younger players or brought in new faces. I think we did quite well in the last match, even though it was very tough. We are focused on long-term development, which is why we decided not to invite Andre (Ayew),” he said after excluding Ayew from the squad for the 2025 AFCON qualifier in September 2024.
Adding to this development, Ayew’s younger brother, Jordan Ayew, has now been named the substantive captain, effectively stripping Dede of the armband.
These events have fueled speculation that the Le Havre forward is being forced out of the team.
The situation seems to be reoccurring at the national team in recent years, with captains losing their leadership roles and being sidelined for extended periods.
Below is a list of two Black Stars captains who were forced out of the team
Former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan’s final days with the national team were nothing short of controversial.
He was stripped of the captaincy before the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and played less than 20 minutes in the tournament.
Ghana exited the competition at the Round of 16 stage after losing on penalties to Tunisia. That match marked Gyan’s last appearance for the Black Stars, as he was consistently overlooked until his official retirement in 2022.
John Mensah had one of the shortest tenures as Black Stars captain. He held the armband from 2011 to 2012 before being replaced by Asamoah Gyan ahead of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
Former Black Stars coach James Kwasi Appiah, who made the change, later revealed that the decision was communicated via a phone call.
“John Mensah was the captain before the Cup of Nations in South Africa. He wasn’t playing regularly, so I called him and told him, ‘John, I’ve moved you to general captain. I’m giving the captaincy to Gyan.’ I informed the leaders after I had made the decision.”
Mensah, who had been a first-choice centre-back before the tournament, did not play a full match in any of Ghana’s games at AFCON 2012.
His last appearance for the Black Stars came on August 15, 2012, which was also his first match after the 2012 AFCON. He missed three games within that period before ultimately fading out of the squad.
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Meanwhile, watch as Ghanaians applaud Black Stars for excellent performances against Chad, Madagascar
