Ghana forward Jordan Pierre Ayew received a special honour from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) last Monday, celebrating his entry into the exclusive group of international football centurions. Ayew has become the third Ghanaian to achieve 100 appearances for the Black Stars.
In a memorable evening, moments before Ayew dazzled football fans with a hat-trick in Ghana’s thrilling 4-3 victory over the Central African Republic in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier, Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo, accompanied by other national team players, presented the Crystal Palace star with a golden boot, marking his remarkable feat.
Ayew reached this milestone on January 22 when Ghana played to a 2-2 draw with Mozambique in Abidjan during this year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Côte d’Ivoire. Following this achievement, he made four more appearances against Nigeria, Uganda, Mali, and the Central African Republic.
The 32-year-old forward now stands as the third most-capped Ghanaian player, following his elder brother and Black Stars captain André Ayew, who has 118 caps and 24 goals, and the legendary Asamoah Gyan, who boasts 109 caps and 51 goals.
Ayew’s recent hat-trick in Kumasi — his eighth goal in the last five matches — increased his international goal tally to 28 in 104 matches since his debut on September 5, 2010, in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Swaziland in Lobamba.
Interestingly, Ayew’s hat tricks for Ghana have occurred at a decade-long interval. His first hat-trick came in a 4-0 friendly win against South Korea in Miami on June 9, 2014, and he repeated the feat in Kumasi on June 10, 2024.
Ayew scored his first international goal on June 1, 2012, netting twice in Ghana’s 7-0 demolition of Lesotho during a World Cup qualifier in Kumasi.
This recognition by the GFA not only celebrates Ayew’s achievements but also underscores his invaluable contributions to Ghana football, inspiring a new generation of players.
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Meanwhile, after their victory over the Wild Beasts of the Central African Republic at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Monday, the playing body together with the technical team of the Black Stars toured the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi on Tuesday, June 11.
The tour was to afford the players the opportunity to appreciate the ongoing renovation works under the Heal Komfo Anokye Project (HeKAP) and to serve as ambassadors of the only tertiary health facility within the middle belt.
The HeKAP is a $10 million project launched by the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II as part of the legacy projects marking his 25th anniversary as the Asantehene. The project is meant to renovate and modernise the original blocks at the hospital.
Welcome
In his welcome address, the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Prof Otchere Addai-Mensah, gave a brief history of the hospital and its contribution to the provision of specialist healthcare care services to Ghanaians over the years.
“This hospital was built 70 years ago but it has never witnessed any comprehensive renovation, a situation which has negatively affected the quality of inpatient care provided to the public,” he said.
“This timely intervention by the Asantehene is focused on transforming the hospital’s wards and other inpatient facilities, modernizing its equipment and improving the overall environment for both patients and staff,” Prof Addai-Mensah added.
Prof Addai-Mensah mentioned that KATH remained the only facility where members of the team could receive specialist care should anything untoward happen to them while playing the match.
He therefore, stressed the need for them to support the initiative to put the hospital in a better shape.
He expressed appreciation to the leadership of the Ghana Football Association officials and the Black Stars team for the visit as well as their support which he said “will not only bring attention to the Asantehene’s initiative but also inspire others to support the efforts to provide quality healthcare to the people of Ghana.”
Perspective
Sharing his view, the President of the GFA, Kurt Simeon-Okraku, said the visit was deeply touching as it gave the team a better perspective on life.
He said KATH had over the years attended to several footballers and fans who were injured during matches adding both the association and the team owed it a duty to support such a worthy cause by the Asantehene.
“We are deeply honoured to support the Heal Komfo Anokye Project. As public figures, it is our duty to give back to our communities. This project will have incredible impact on the people of Ghana, and we are here to show our solidarity and encourage others to contribute”, he said.
Influence
For his part, Otumfuo’s representative on the project, Nana Prof. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei Woahene II, congratulated the team for bringing smiles to the faces of Ghanaians with their victory over the Central Africa Republic in Kumasi in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
He said as national and international figures, they were uniquely positioned to use their network and influence to mobilise support for the project by adding their voices to the Asantehene’s call on members of the public to contribute their widow’s mite towards the execution of the project.
The chairman of HeKAP, Samuel Adu-Boakye also expressed gratitude to the Black Stars for the visit which he said had fostered a strong connection between the team and the community, highlighting the profound power and ability of sporting figures to contribute to addressing societal challenges.
