In a heartfelt tribute, Black Stars captain Jordan Ayew has named the late Christian Atsu as the best player he has ever shared the pitch with. Despite playing alongside Ghanaian legends like Sulley Muntari, Michael Essien, Asamoah Gyan, and his brother Andre Ayew, Jordan’s admiration for Atsu remains unmatched.

“The best player I’ve ever played with, unfortunately, is no longer with us, and that’s Christian [Atsu],” Ayew revealed in an interview with Sportsblog247.com. “I played with Muntari and Essien. Asamoah [Gyan] and Andre [Ayew] are also up there, but I’ll go with Atsu. He didn’t get enough plaudits for how good he was on the field.”

Christian Atsu, known for his dazzling pace and skill, was named the Best Player at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). His life was tragically cut short in 2023 when he was found under rubble following a devastating earthquake in Turkey, where he was playing professional football.

Ayew’s tribute comes as he enjoys a stellar start to his captaincy. Under his leadership, Ghana secured back-to-back victories in the FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers—a commanding 5-0 win over Chad and a 3-0 triumph against Madagascar. Ayew played a pivotal role, contributing to five goals with one strike of his own and four assists.

With 15 points, Ghana leads Group I, three points ahead of second-placed Comoros, while Madagascar, Mali, the Central African Republic, and Chad follow behind.

Ayew will aim to continue his unbeaten run as captain when the Black Stars compete in a four-nation tournament in England before resuming their World Cup qualifying campaign against Chad and Mali in September.