Former Black Stars midfielder Derek Boateng has insisted that captain Andre Ayew should have been included in Otto Addo's squad for the World Cup qualifiers.

Addo left out Andre from his 26-man squad for the matches against Mali and the Central African Republic, a decision that has sparked considerable discussion among fans and former players.

The 34-year-old has scored five goals and helped Le Havre survive relegation in the French Ligue 1.

"For me, if you talk about players in good shape at their club level right now, he is one of them," Boateng stated.

"A player like Dede Ayew has to be in the team even if you're not starting him. He has to be there.

"His influence in the national team is significant. Some of the players are very close to him and they listen to him a lot. I respect the coach's decision, but for me, he has to be in the squad."

Andre holds the record as Ghana's most capped player with 120 appearances since his debut in 2007.

The Black Stars will face the Central African Republic at the Baba Yara Stadium on Monday for matchday four of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series, currently sitting in third place after a 2-1 victory over Mali in Bamako.