Jordan Ayew is a professional Ghanaian football player who currently plays for the Premier League club Crystal Palace.
Born on September 11, 1991, in Marseille, France, he made his debut for the Ghana senior national team on September 5, 2010, in a match where the Black Stars triumphed over Swaziland.
In 2012, Ayew scored his first and second international goals in an Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Lesotho in Ghana.
Quick Facts
- Full Name: Jordan Pierre Ayew
- Nickname: Pierre
- Born: September 11, 1991
- Debut: 2009
- Height: 1.82 m
- Weight: 80 kg
- Age: 32 years old
- Birthplace: Marseille, France
- Religion: Islam
- Nationality: Ghanaian
- Net Worth: $2 million
- Marital Status: Married
- Father: Abedi Pele
- Mother: Maha Ayew
- Twitter Handle: @jordan_ayew9
- Instagram Handle: jordanayew9
Family and Personal Life
Jordan Ayew was born to a Ghanaian mother, Maha Ayew, and father, Abedi Pele, who is regarded as a Ghanaian football legend. His maternal grandfather, Alhaji A.A. Khadir, is Lebanese. His father, uncles Kwame and Sola, and brothers André and Ibrahim are all current or former professional footballers, as is his sister, Imani. Ayew is a practising Muslim.
He shares two children with Denise Acquah and has another older son from a previous relationship. In addition to his Ghanaian nationality, he holds French nationality.
Club Career
Marseille
Ayew joined Marseille as a trainee in 2006 and signed a three-year professional contract with the club in 2009. He made his senior team debut on December 16, 2009, scoring the equalizer in a 2-1 victory over Lorient. He scored his second goal against Nice on April 27, 2011. On November 1, 2011, Jordan and his brother André both started a UEFA Champions League match against Arsenal.
Sochaux
On January 6, 2014, Ayew joined Ligue 1 rivals Sochaux on loan until the end of the 2013-14 season.
Lorient
On July 28, 2014, Ayew signed a four-year contract with Lorient, citing their style and quality of play as key factors in his decision.
Aston Villa
On July 27, 2015, Ayew joined Aston Villa on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee, reportedly around £8 million. He scored his first goal for the club on October 24, 2015, against Swansea City. Despite Villa’s relegation, Ayew finished the season as their top scorer with seven goals.
Swansea City
Ayew joined Swansea City on January 31, 2017, and scored his debut goal for the club in a 2-1 comeback victory over West Bromwich Albion. In his only full season with Swansea, he finished as the club’s top scorer and was voted Players’ Player of the Season, despite Swansea being relegated.
Crystal Palace
Ayew joined Crystal Palace on loan for the 2018-19 season and made his debut on September 1, 2018. He scored his first league goal for Palace on January 2, 2019, and made his move permanent on July 25, 2019, for £2.5 million. Ayew became Crystal Palace’s top scorer for the 2019-20 season and won several club awards. In the following seasons, he continued to be a key player, signing a contract extension until 2025 and making his 200th appearance for the club in February 2024.
International Career
Ayew debuted for Ghana on September 5, 2010, scoring his first international goals in a 2014 World Cup qualification match against Lesotho. He was part of the Ghanaian squad for the 2014 World Cup and the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, where Ghana finished as runners-up. In January 2024, he was named in the squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and scored two penalties in his 100th international cap.
Honours
Marseille
- Ligue 1: 2009–10
- Coupe de la Ligue: 2010–11, 2011–12
- Trophée des Champions: 2011
Ghana
- Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2015
Individual
- Ghana Player of the Year: 2020
- Crystal Palace Player of the Year: 2019–20
- Crystal Palace Players’ Player of the Year: 2019–20
- Crystal Palace Goal of the Season: 2019–20
- Swansea City Players’ Player of the Season: 2017–18
- Swansea City Goal of the Season: 2017–18
Wife and Kids
Jordan Ayew is married to Denise Acquah, a businesswoman in Ghana. The couple has two children. Denise keeps a low profile, maintaining a private social media presence.
Salary and Net Worth
Jordan Ayew earns £50,000 per week, amounting to £2,600,000 per year playing for Crystal Palace. His net worth is estimated at £18,772,000.