Andre Dede Ayew spent the first half of the 2025/26 season without a team after he parted ways with French club Le Havre, after his one year contract extension expired in August 2025.

During this period when he was clubless and hadn’t received a call up for any of Ghana Black Stars’ matches since he last represented the Black Stars at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. Consequently speculations began to swell about a potential retirement for the 36-year-old.

Reacting to the speculations, the former Olympique de Marseille and Swansea City attacker dismissed suggestions that retirement is imminent while speaking to ESPN in an interview.

“I never thought about it because my body is good. I feel good,” he said, emphasising his fitness after years of high-level play. “I’ve played a lot of years, and I’ve been fit for several years, able to play game after game. I prepare myself every time to have a better tomorrow on the field, off the field. When the moment comes, your body will tell you. That’s how I see it, and for now, my body is not responding negatively at all. So I need to continue working. The matches will get me fitter.”

Backing the former Black Stars captain’s stance, the former Vice President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), George Afriyie, during an interview with Accra based radio station, Asempa FM, noted that, Andre Ayew still has plenty to offer football despite ongoing speculation about his future.

“Andre Ayew is still playing, and for me, nobody can force him to retire,” he said.

After partying ways with Le Havre AC, he has since signed a short-term deal with Dutch side NAC Breda until the end of the season.

Since joining NAC Breda, Ayew has made six league appearances, starting once as he works to regain full match sharpness. He is in contention to feature when NAC Breda hosts FC Volendam at the Rat Verlegh Stadion on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Ayew's stance on retirement is similar to Al-Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo, who in 2025 noted that he could play for another 10 years with his 'kind of body'.

This was after he shared his excitement after learning about his physiological age.

The Whoop platform, a wearable fitness and health tracking platform designed to help users monitor and improve their performance, recovery, and overall well-being, analysed Ronaldo and discovered that his physiological age is 28.9 years old.

In reaction to the results from Whoop, the Al-Nassr forward expressed satisfaction, suggesting that he could play for the next decade.

"I can't believe it is so good. This means I will play for another ten years. When you're young, you think you will live forever, that you will always be strong, that you're unbreakable," he told Whoop.

He, however, acknowledged the effect ageing has on the body, particularly as a footballer.

In order to keep his form and shape for optimal performance on the pitch, he shared how he "prioritizes recovery and sleep much more than before.

."...at 25, it is not the same as when you're 30, especially in football. I still feel good."

Ronaldo stated that his ability to remain strong physically at 40 years old is a remarkable feat, and he hopes to continue in the same form to play football for a longer period than expected.

The former Real Madrid legend is taunted for his fitness and form even at age 40 as Ronaldo continues to be one of the most prolific goal scorers for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, having scored 24 goals in 29 appearances.

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the 'greatest' footballers in history.

With over a two-decade career, he has won 33 major trophies, including five UEFA Champions League titles, seven league titles across England, Spain, and Italy, and the UEFA Euro 2016 with Portugal.

He also holds the record for most goals in UEFA Champions League history (140) and is the all-time top scorer in international football with 136 goals for Portugal.

His total senior career goals stand at an astounding 935.

He has also won 5 Ballon d'Ors, 4 European Golden Boots, and multiple accolades, including FIFA Best Men's Player and UEFA Best Player in Europe awards.