Former Black Stars striker Prince Tagoe has voiced his displeasure with the technical team’s decision to name Mohammed Kudus captain over Jordan Ayew for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. The West Ham United forward was handed the captaincy for Ghana’s doubleheader against Sudan after Thomas Partey was sidelined due to a medical issue.

Speaking on Angel FM, Tagoe, a former Hearts of Oak star who played for Ghana in the 2010 World Cup, criticized the move, calling it a source of unnecessary controversy. He argued that Jordan Ayew, with his experience and seniority in the squad, should have been made captain to maintain harmony within the team.

“You can’t give the captaincy to Kudus when Jordan is in the team. Kudus is a great player, but you need to wait for the right time to give him that responsibility,” Tagoe said. “Doing it at the wrong time creates confusion, which is a major issue we need to address.”

Following the first leg of the qualifiers, where Ghana was held to a goalless draw at home against Sudan, reports emerged of Jordan Ayew expressing frustration. During a conversation with Sudan’s Ghanaian coach, Kwasi Appiah, Ayew reportedly vented his anger over being overlooked for the captaincy role.

Ghana later suffered a 2-0 defeat in the second leg against Libya, leaving the Black Stars in 3rd place in their group with two points. The team will conclude their AFCON qualifiers in November with matches against Angola and Niger.