Playing with Andre Ayew was a big honor – Elisha Owusu

Elisha Owusu looked up to Andre Ayew growing up

Auxerre midfielder Elisha Owusu has revealed it was a big honor to share the same pitch with Ghana captain Andre Ayew.

Ayew, who is without a club, has been excluded from Otto Addo’s last two squads. The 34-year-old’s last appearance for the Black Stars was in March against Uganda.

Born in France to Ghanaian parents, Owusu in an interview with Flashscore spoke of his childhood admiration for Ayew and Kevin-Prince Boateng.

“Growing up I used to watch Kevin-Prince Boateng a lot. I loved him as a kid. Andre Ayew also because when you’re from France he is the big big man. Having the chance to play with him in the national team was a big honor for me.”

The transition from spectator to teammate has been a surreal experience for Owusu. Since making his debut for Ghana in March 2022, he has embraced the opportunity to represent his ancestral homeland with pride and gratitude.

“For me It’s a good thing to play for my country. I am very happy to go on international duty. When I was a kid I always dreamt of playing for my country. I take it like as a blessing,” the Ligue 1 midfielder said.

As he continues to establish himself in the Black Stars setup, Owusu has found the experience to be both rewarding and inspiring.

“My experience in the Black Stars has been good. I take it like a blessing. When I was a kid I watched Ghana a lot. I speak with Gideon Mensah and he tells me a lot of good things. I am happy to be part of the team and we have some strong players.”

The 26-year-old was part of Ghana’s team that failed to pick a win in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Angola and Niger in September. Owusu will hope that he can inspire Ghana to better results when the next international break comes around in October.