Jordan Ayew
Jordan Ayew | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jordan Pierre Ayew September 11, 1991 France |
| Occupation | Professional footballer |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Known for | Playing as a winger or forward for Leicester City and the Ghana national team |
Jordan Pierre Ayew (born 11 September 1991) is a professional footballer from Ghana who operates primarily as a winger or forward for Leicester City and represents the Ghana national team internationally.
He is the son of former Ghanaian captain Abedi Pele and brother to fellow professionals André and Ibrahim Ayew. Ayew launched his professional journey at Marseille, marking his senior debut in 2009 with a goal. Following short spells with Ligue 1 sides Sochaux and Lorient, he transferred to English club Aston Villa in 2015. Despite the team's relegation, he ended that season as their leading scorer and later matched this achievement at Swansea City in 2018. After Swansea's drop to a lower division, Ayew moved to Crystal Palace, where he has amassed over 200 appearances.
Though born in France, Ayew made his international debut for Ghana in 2010 and has since earned more than 110 caps. He has participated in two FIFA World Cup tournaments (2014 and 2022) and six editions of the Africa Cup of Nations (2012, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023), playing a vital role in Ghana's runner-up finish in the 2015 competition.
Marseille
Ayew entered the youth ranks of Marseille in 2006 and secured a professional contract lasting three years by 2009. His first appearance for the senior squad came on 16 December 2009, when he scored an equalising goal against Lorient, contributing to a 2–1 win. On 27 April 2011, he found the net again versus Nice, coinciding with a hat-trick from his brother André Ayew. Both siblings featured in the starting lineup during a UEFA Champions League fixture against Arsenal on 1 November 2011.
On 6 January 2014, Ayew was loaned out to fellow Ligue 1 club Sochaux until the season's conclusion.
Lorient
Ayew committed to a four-year deal with Lorient on 28 July 2014, highlighting their attractive playing style and high standards as major reasons for his move.
Aston Villa
On 27 July 2015, Ayew signed a five-year contract with English outfit Aston Villa, with the transfer fee reported to be around £8 million but not officially disclosed. He netted his inaugural goal for Villa on 24 October 2015 against Swansea City, where his brother was playing. Even though Villa suffered relegation at the end of the 2015–16 campaign, accumulating just 17 points, Ayew emerged as the club’s top scorer by tallying seven goals.
2016–17 season
Ayew moved to Swansea City on 31 January 2017, signing a contract running through to the end of the 2019–20 season. The transfer involved defender Neil Taylor moving in the opposite direction plus an additional fee potentially reaching £5 million. His brother André returned to Swansea in January of the following year. Jordan's debut came on 12 February 2017 during a 2–0 victory over Leicester City. He scored his first goal for Swansea in the final game of that season—a crucial equaliser in a comeback win by 2–1 against West Bromwich Albion. Across fourteen appearances that season, Ayew contributed one goal and three assists, playing an instrumental part in Swansea’s successful fight against relegation.
2017–18 season
On 22 August 2017, Ayew showcased a standout performance by scoring from 20 yards and providing an assist to Tammy Abraham during Swansea's EFL Cup triumph over MK Dons. The BBC praised his goal as exceptional. He netted his first league goal of that campaign on 26 August, contributing to Swansea’s 2–0 win against Crystal Palace. Later, on 17 January 2018, Ayew scored the opening goal in a 2–1 FA Cup replay victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Throughout his sole full season at Swansea, Ayew featured in 44 matches across all tournaments, finding the net 11 times, with seven goals coming in league play. He emerged as the club’s leading scorer and earned the Players' Player of the Season accolade. His individual effort against Wolverhampton was honored as Swansea’s Goal of the Season. Despite his impact, Swansea was relegated to the Championship, marking the fourth occasion where Ayew finished as top scorer for a club that faced demotion.
2018–19 season
Ayew joined Crystal Palace on loan for the 2018–19 season on transfer deadline day in August 2018. He made his debut on 1 September in a 2–0 defeat to Southampton. On 15 September, he assisted Wilfried Zaha’s decisive goal against Huddersfield, earning commendations for his pressing intensity and effective hold-up play that facilitated attacking chances.
Ayew opened his Premier League scoring account for Palace on 2 January 2019 by netting the first goal in a 2–0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Shortly after, three days later, he came off the bench to score a late winner in an FA Cup tie against Grimsby Town, ensuring Palace’s advancement.
2019–20 season
On 25 July 2019, Ayew completed a permanent move to Crystal Palace from Swansea City for £2.5 million, signing a three-year contract. He scored his inaugural goal of the season on 24 August 2019 at Old Trafford, opening the scoring in a landmark 2–1 victory over Manchester United. On Boxing Day, he secured a stoppage-time winner as Palace overturned a deficit to defeat West Ham United 2–1. By this point, Ayew had accumulated 21 Premier League goals, with an impressive 95% scored during the second half—an unprecedented ratio among players with over 20 goals in the competition's history.
On 20 June 2020, Ayew scored in a 2–0 win against Bournemouth, becoming the Premier League's highest-scoring Ghanaian with 25 goals, surpassing Tony Yeboah’s previous record of 24. He concluded the season as Crystal Palace’s top scorer with nine goals and was honored with the club’s Player of the Season, Players' Player of the Season, and Goal of the Season awards.
2020–2023
During the 2020–21 campaign, Ayew scored once in a commanding 4–1 victory over Leeds United but then experienced a prolonged goalless period lasting 43 games until he netted an equalizer in the 65th minute of a 2–2 draw with Southampton on 16 December 2021. On 4 April 2022, he found the net in a convincing 3–0 home win over Arsenal at Selhurst Park. By season’s end in 2021–22, Ayew had featured in 31 league fixtures, registering three goals and three assists.
In June 2022, Ayew extended his contract with Crystal Palace through to 2023. He ended his scoring drought on New Year’s Eve during the 2022–23 season by opening the scoring in a 2–0 victory against Bournemouth. On 9 April 2023, he scored twice to inspire Crystal Palace to an emphatic 5–1 away win at Leeds United. Ayew completed that season appearing in all 38 league matches while tallying four goals and three assists.
2023–24 season
On 1 November 2023, Ayew committed to Crystal Palace by signing a contract extension through to 2025. He celebrated his 200th appearance for the club on 27 February 2024, delivering a standout performance that included both scoring and assisting in a 3–0 triumph over Burnley. Following this, he earned the accolade of Crystal Palace men's Player of the Month for February.
Leicester City
Ayew joined Leicester City on 23 August 2024, agreeing to a two-year deal valued at £5 million. He made his debut the following day, entering as a substitute in a 2–1 loss against Fulham. His inaugural goal for Leicester came in a commanding 4–0 EFL Cup win over Tranmere Rovers, and he scored his first league goal on 19 October with a stoppage-time winner versus Southampton.
International career
Ayew made his international debut for Ghana on 5 September 2010 during the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification, contributing to a 3–0 victory over Swaziland. His first goals for the national team arrived in June 2012 in a 7–0 World Cup qualifying match against Lesotho. He was selected for Ghana’s squads at both the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2014 FIFA World Cup, notably scoring a hat-trick in a pre-World Cup friendly against South Korea.
He played an integral role in Ghana securing the silver medal at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, after losing to Ivory Coast in a penalty shootout. Ayew also participated in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, where Ghana was eliminated during the group stage. In January 2024, he was included in Ghana’s squad for the postponed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations held in Ivory Coast, scoring two penalties in his milestone 100th cap during a group stage draw with Mozambique.
On 22 March 2024, Ayew converted a penalty in a friendly defeat to Nigeria. He continued to be influential during Ghana’s qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup, scoring against Mali and recording a hat-trick against Central African Republic in June 2024. Ahead of critical AFCON 2025 qualifiers in November 2024, coach Otto Addo appointed him as captain of the Black Stars.
Personal life
Ayew is the son of Maha Ayew and Abedi Pele. His maternal grandfather, Alhaji A.A. Khadir, is of Lebanese descent. Football runs in his family; his father, uncles Kwame and Sola, along with his brothers André and Ibrahim, have all been professional players. He practices Islam and has three children—two with Denise Acquah and an older son from an earlier relationship.
In addition to his Ghanaian citizenship, Ayew also holds French nationality.
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup[lower-alpha 1] | League cup[lower-alpha 2] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Marseille | 2009–10 | Ligue 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 | 1 | |
| 2010–11 | Ligue 1 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3[lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 2 | |
| 2011–12 | Ligue 1 | 34 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6[lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 1Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content |
0 | 45 | 7 | |
| 2012–13 | Ligue 1 | 35 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content |
3 | — | 47 | 10 | ||
| 2013–14 | Ligue 1 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5[lower-alpha 3] | 1 | — | 22 | 2 | ||
| Total | 111 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 23 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 147 | 22 | ||
| Sochaux (loan) | 2013–14 | Ligue 1 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 5 | ||
| Lorient | 2014–15 | Ligue 1 | 31 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 32 | 13 | ||
| Aston Villa | 2015–16 | Premier League | 30 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 7 | ||
| 2016–17 | EFL Championship | 21 | 2 | 0 | (1) | 1 | — | — | 22 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 51 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 58 | 10 | ||||
| Swansea City | 2016–17 | Premier League | 14 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 14 | 1 | ||||
| 2017–18 | Premier League | 36 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | - | - | 44 | 11 | |||
| Total | 50 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | - | - | 58 | 12 | ||||
| Crystal Palace (loan) | 2018–19 | Premier League | 20 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 25 | 2 | ||
| Crystal Palace | 2019–20 | Premier League | 37 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 39 | 9 | ||
| 2020–21 | Premier League | 33 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 35 | 1 | |||
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 31 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 34 | 3 | |||
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 38 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 41 | 4 | |||
| 2023–24 | Premier League | 35 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 37 | =4 | |||
| " Total | 175 !21 !8 !1 !9 !0 ! colspan= " — " ! colspan= " — " !187 !21 | |||||||||||||
| Leicester City | 2024–25 | Premier League | 30 !5 !2 !0 !3 !1 ! colspan= " — " ! colspan= " — " !35 !6 | |||||||||||
| Career total | 485 !75 !25 !6 !26 !6 !23 !4 !1 !0 !560 !91 | |||||||||||||
International
| National team | Year | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghana | 2010 | 2 | 0 |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 11 | 3 | |
| 2015 | 14 | 5 | |
| 2016 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2019 | 10 | 3 | |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 13 | 9 | |
| 2025 | 4 | 2 | |
| Total | 113 | 31 | |
- The score column lists Ghana's goals first; the score reflects the state after each goal by Ayew.
| No. | Date | Location | Opponent | Score at time of goal | Final score | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 1 June 2012 | Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi, Ghana | Template:Fb | 3–0 | 7–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF second round |
| 2. | 6–0 | |||||
| 3. | 9 June 2014 | Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, United States | Template:Fb | 1–0 | 4–0 | Friendly match |
| 4. | 3–0 | |||||
| 5. | 4–0 | |||||
| 6. | 5 February 2015 | Estadio de Malabo, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea | Template:Fb | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations knockout stage |
| 7. | 14 June 2015 | Accra Sports Stadium, Accra, Ghana | Template:Fb | 2–0 | 7–1 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group H |
| 8. | 5–1 | |||||
| 9. | 1 September 2015 | Stade Municipal de Kintélé, Brazzaville, Congo | Template:Fb | 3–2 | 3–2 | Friendly match |
| 10. | 17 November 2015 | Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi, Ghana | Template:Fb | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF second round |
| 11. | 24 March 2016 | Accra Sports Stadium, Accra, Ghana | Template:Fb | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 12. | 29 January 2017 | Stade d'Oyem, Oyem, Gabon | Template:Fb | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations knockout stage |
| 13. | 18 November 2018 | Addis Ababa Stadium, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Template:Fb | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group F |
| 14. | 2–0 | |||||
| 15. | 25 June 2019 | Ismailia Stadium, Ismailia, Egypt | Template:Fb | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Group F |
| 16. | 2 July 2019 | Suez Stadium, Suez, Egypt | Template:Fb | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| No. | Date | Location | Opponent | Score at time of goal | Final score | Competition |
|---|
Honours
Marseille
- Ligue 1 Champion: 2009–10
- Coupe de la Ligue Titles: 2010–11, 2011–12
- Trophée des Champions Winner: 2011
Ghana
Individual Achievements
- Awarded Ghana Player of the Year: 2020
- Named Crystal Palace Player of the Year for the 2019–20 campaign
- Honoured as Crystal Palace Players' Player of the Year: 2019–20
- Recipient of Crystal Palace Goal of the Season award: 2019–20
- Voted Swansea City Players' Player of the Season: 2017–18
- Earned Swansea City Goal of the Season accolade: 2017–18
See also
External links
- Profile at Leicester City F.C.
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- ↑ (2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Group I)
- 1991 births
- Living people
- French sportspeople of Ghanaian descent
- French people of Lebanese descent
- Sportspeople of Lebanese descent
- Ghanaian Muslims
- Footballers from Marseille
- French men's footballers
- Ghanaian men's footballers
- Ghanaian people of French descent
- Ghanaian people of Lebanese descent
- Men's association football forwards
- Lyon-La Duchère players
- Olympique de Marseille players
- FC Sochaux-Montbéliard players
- FC Lorient players
- Aston Villa F.C. players
- Swansea City A.F.C. players
- Crystal Palace F.C. players
- Leicester City F.C. players
- Ligue 1 players
- Premier League players
- English Football League players
- Ghana men's under-20 international footballers
- Ghana men's international footballers
- 2012 Africa Cup of Nations players
- 2014 FIFA World Cup players
- 2015 Africa Cup of Nations players
- 2017 Africa Cup of Nations players
- 2019 Africa Cup of Nations players
- 2021 Africa Cup of Nations players
- 2022 FIFA World Cup players
- 2023 Africa Cup of Nations players
- Naturalized citizens of France
- Ghanaian expatriate men's footballers
- Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in France
- Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in England
- Ghanaian expatriate sportspeople in Wales
- Expatriate men's footballers in France
- Expatriate men's footballers in England
- Expatriate men's footballers in Wales
- Ayew family
- FIFA Men's Century Club
- 21st-century French sportsmen
- 21st-century Ghanaian sportsmen