At 35 years old, Andre Ayew continues to defy the odds.
With over 17 years in professional football, the Ghana international is still going strong in France’s Ligue 1 at the tail end of a career that has taken in eight other clubs.
So, what drives this longevity?
While the forward, currently at Le Havre, can point to excellent genes (father Abedi Pele played for two decades), his journey has also been a mix of discipline, experience and passion for the sport.
“It makes you feel good,” Ayew told BBC Sport Africa.
“There’s a lot of sacrifices made to continue staying at the top level for all this while.”
Those sacrifices have ranged from rigorous training to lifestyle changes, including dietary adjustments.
Ayew acknowledged the challenges, especially as age demands even greater effort.
“As you’re growing older, you need to train more. It’s even harder to stop yourself from eating certain foods,” he said.
“We Africans, especially, like to eat good food. But at some point, you have to make a lot of sacrifices.”
All roads lead to France
Ayew’s story has gone full circle, having begun his footballing career in France.
He joined Marseille as a budding talent, entering the youth academy for the 2006-07 season.
Ayew, known as ‘Dede’, broke into the first team the following season, marking the start of a near decade-long spell with the senior squad.
He made 209 appearances, scoring 60 goals and recording 25 assists while also winning two French league cups and the French super cup three times.
It was here where Ayew had the chance to play alongside his brother, Jordan, who was with Marseille from 2009 to 2014.
After departing in 2015, Andre Ayew played for Swansea City, West Ham United and Nottingham Forest, Turkish giants Fenerbahce and Qatari side Al Sadd, and is now in back in France with Le Havre.
His ability to adapt physically and mentally has kept him competitive in a league where younger players tend to dominate.
Ligue 1’s tagline – ‘League of Talents’ – is seen by some as a corporate attempt to lean into the conveyor belt of youthful talent coming out of the French top flight.
Ayew was, himself, a fruit of this tree, making his debut for Marseille at just 17.
His vast experience is now one of his greatest strengths.
“How long do you want to stay in the game? That’s the question you need to answer for yourself,” he explained.
“Good players around you help, and as time goes on, you get smarter. You find spaces where, maybe in the past, you wouldn’t because you can smell it.”
Handling criticism and inspiring the next generation
Of course, navigating the landscape of modern football means dealing with more than just on-field challenges.
The rise of technology has given fans a proximity to the sport’s principal actors that simply did not exist before, exposing footballers to the double-edged sword of instant feedback.
For Ayew, earning his footballing chops in step with the rise of social media has perhaps equipped him the best approach to dealing with the never-ending cycle.
“It’s all about you, focusing on your job and what you have to do,” he said.
“Everything has a good and bad side so, sometimes, try to understand where the criticism comes from – it can help you. We play football for the people, especially in our country and continent where we love the game so much.
“But, today, if somebody is frustrated they can just write anything (online). That’s where we need to be strong and not pay attention to that sort of thing.
“You want to make the people happy, (but) when it’s just nonsense talk, push it away.
“With my experience, I just feel that you need to stay focused, listen to what the coaches and the analysts and the staff have to tell you. That’s where the real information comes from.”
Ayew’s impact extends beyond his on-field exploits.
As a mentor, he urges young African footballers to be disciplined and carry that attitude all the way through their careers.
“It’s never too early, and it’s never too late. Just keep going, and you can always be successful,” he advises.
Black Stars in the family
Ayew has been at the heart of the Ghana team for well over a decade and, as the son of a three-time African Footballer of the Year and European Cup winner, he had much to live up to.
While the biggest trophies have eluded him in his international career, Dede has nevertheless enjoyed highs with the Black Stars.
There have been the many deep runs at the Africa Cup of Nations, as well as the 2010 World Cup when Ghana came within a crossbar’s width of a place in the semi-finals.
He first played for the Black Stars in August 2007, coming off the bench in the final minute in a friendly against Senegal in London.
Some seven months later, he was starting for the four-time African champions in a Nations Cup semi-final and has been a steady feature since.
He has graced the Nations Cup finals eight times, a joint record, helping the West Africans finish second in 2010 and 2015.
Ayew has played in three Fifa World Cups and his tally of 120 caps is a record for the country.
His future with Ghana may currently be mired in uncertainty – as he has not officially announced his retirement – but Ayew’s footballing career continues.
“I love what I’m doing, and I’m not ready to stop.”
