- Andre Ayew says there is 'no rivalry' as he prepares to face brother Jordan again this weekend
- But West Ham United winger wants to get one over his younger sibling and boost the Hammers' survival hopes
- Pair have also played together dozens of times for both Olympique Marseille and Ghana
Andre Ayew will share a football pitch with younger sibling Jordan again on Saturday afternoon – but he will not be showing the Swansea City striker any brotherly love!
Jordan followed Andre through the youth set-up at French club Olympique Marseille, before spending five years alongside his older brother of 15 months in the first team at Stade Velodrome.
The dynamic duo have also lined up together nearly 50 times for Ghana, the country for whom their father Abedi ‘Pele’ Ayew starred and became one of the finest players Africa has ever produced.
The pair were also footballing adversaries on a number of occasions, with both enjoying successs. Both scored as Jordan’s Lorient beat Andre’s Marseille 5-3 in April 2015, before repeating the trick as Andre’s Swansea beat Jordan’s Aston Villa 2-1 in October of the same year.
Andre and Jordan will be on opposite sides again at London Stadium, with the winner going a long way to securing their team’s Premier League status.
Despite the importance of Saturday’s game, the West Ham United winger told the Official Programme he will not make it personal.
“We’ve never had a rivalry!” he smiled. “We’re very close and we try to help each other to give our best and to do better. We are only a year-and-a-half different in age, so we grew up together and talk about everything.
“We’ve played against each other a few times now, and we played together for the national team and Marseille, so it’s always nice.
“It’s a different feeling and I’m always happy to meet him on and off the pitch, but I always want to win!”
We’re very close and we try to help each other to give our best and to do better
Andre Ayew
In a feature-length interview, Andre also lifts the lid on a challenging season for him personally and the Hammers collectively, his ambitions for the future, playing with expectation and his season with Swansea.
Elsewhere in Saturday’s issue, Swansea fan John Hartson reflects on his own eventful career, Ian ‘Moose’ Abrahams talks to Welsh Olympic medal-winning swimmer Jazz Carlin and Ken Dyer hears from Frank Lampard about his formative spell in South Wales.
With exclusive columns penned by Joint-Chairman David Sullivan, manager Slaven Bilic and captain Mark Noble, and the complete lowdown on visitors Swansea City, the Official Programme is a must-have for all supporters, whether you are watching in London Stadium, at home or in a supporters’ club bar!
The action-packed 100-page issue No22 of a historic season will be available in and around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on matchday, priced £3.50. Order your copy online here.
Alternatively, you can download the Digital Edition to your tablet or smartphone for just £1.99 from 9.30am on Saturday right here!