Andre Ayew’s long road back to top-flight football took an important step on Saturday night as the Ghana legend finally pulled on a NAC Breda shirt in competitive action, featuring in a tense 0–0 draw away to FC Groningen in the Dutch Eredivisie.
It was the 36-year-old’s first appearance in a competitive match since May 2025, and his introduction in the 57th minute at the Euroborg Stadium brought both experience and urgency to a NAC side searching for a breakthrough. Ayew replaced teenage forward Moussa Soumano as the visitors looked to tilt the game in their favour during the closing stages.
Congratulations on your debut, André Ayew 🙏#NACpraat #groNAC pic.twitter.com/cussHbFg6c
— NAC Breda 💛🖤 (@NACnl) January 11, 2026
Having only recently completed a short-term move to the Yellow-Blacks after several weeks training with the club, Ayew was not expected to be fully match-ready. Still, his half-hour on the pitch offered an encouraging glimpse of what he can bring. He recorded 20 touches, fired in a shot, completed a successful dribble and competed aggressively in both aerial and ground duels, helping NAC Breda maintain pressure late on.
The contest also carried a distinctly Ghanaian flavour, with Ayew lining up alongside fellow Black Stars players Denis Odoi and Kamal Sowah, both also representing NAC in a fiercely fought, if goalless, encounter.
For NAC, the draw did little to ease their troubles at the bottom of the table. They remain second from bottom in 17th place, having collected just 14 points from their opening 18 Eredivisie matches. Attention now turns to a pivotal home clash against NEC Nijmegen at the Rat Verlegh Stadion, where Ayew is expected to push for increased minutes and possibly a first start.
Beyond club matters, the veteran forward’s return to the pitch carries national significance. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon, Ayew’s revival at NAC Breda is an important step in his bid to rediscover match fitness and force his way back into Ghana’s Black Stars plans.
