Asamoah Gyan has formally announced his retirement at the age of 37.
He holds the record for the highest goal-scorer in the history of Ghana
Gyan also holds the record as Africa’s leading scorer at the World Cup
Inevitably, all good things must come to a close, and Asamoah Gyan’s illustrious football career reached its definitive end as the iconic striker made an official announcement recently.
Despite a period of over two years of inactivity, following the mutual termination of his contract with Legon Cities in the Ghana Premier League, the former BBC African Footballer of the Year recipient may just have been prolonging the inevitable.
Asamoah Gyan was responsible for some Ghana’s high moments at major competitions.
Nevertheless, the 37-year-old leaves an indelible legacy in the history of his homeland and, indeed, the broader African continent, solidifying his place in the annals of football.
Sports Brief takes a look at five of Gyan’s memorable goal-scoring moments in the colours of Ghana:
Ghana vs USA – 2010 World Cup
Ghana had their best performance at the FIFA World Cup finals at the 2010 edition, largely due to Gyan’s efficiency in front of the goal.
With his impressive tally of three goals, the striker played a pivotal role in propelling the Black Stars to a quarter-final finish, narrowly missing out on a spot in the semi-finals.
Among Baby Jet’s three strikes, one goal truly embodies his tenacity, relentlessness, and efficiency – his crucial extra-time goal against the United States – which significantly contributed to Ghana’s success.
Ghana vs Czech Republic – 2006 FIFA World Cup
Asamoah Gyan’s enchanting journey with the grandest football spectacle on the planet commenced in Germany in 2006 when a relatively lesser-known Ghanaian team triumphed over some of the world’s highest-ranked nations of that era.
The chief protagonist was none other than the former Stade Rennes and Sunderland goal poacher, Gyan, who scored the fastest goal at the tournament against Pavel Nedved and Petr Cech’s Czech Republic.
Receiving a perfectly weighted pass from captain, Stephen Appiah, Baby Jet controlled the ball with his chest before unleashing an unstoppable left-footed strike into the bottom corner. This momentous goal marked Ghana’s first-ever World Cup score.
England vs Ghana – 2011 friendly
In Ghana’s inaugural clash with the Three Lions at the iconic Wembley Stadium, it was Gyan who emerged as the standout figure. Despite Fabio Capello’s team taking an early lead courtesy of Andy Carroll, the Black Stars legend soon became the focal point of attention.
Just as Carroll’s first international goal for England was bound to end in a narrow win for the 1966 World Champions, Gyan stepped with a classic goal as he bamboozled his way through the defence, per the BBC.
Demonstrating remarkable close control, deft touches, and sheer strength on the ball, he proved to be a formidable force that was nearly impossible to contain.
Evading the English defence, he skillfully navigated through a maze of players before elegantly curling a magnificent left-footed shot that eluded the grasp of Joe Hart, the former goalkeeper of Manchester City.
Ghana vs Algeria – 2015 AFCON
Dubbed the ‘Malaria Goal’, this pivotal moment occurred when the Black Stars found themselves teetering on the edge of elimination during the group stage of the prestigious tournament, having suffered a defeat in their opening match against Senegal.
With Ghanaians still upset with their beloved national team for their shambolic performance at the 2014 World Cup, facing a star-studded Algerian squad led by the reigning BBC African Footballer of the Year, Yacine Brahimi, was not the most palatable fixture.
Yet up stepped Gyan, who was ill with malaria, yet opted to risk his health for the love of the nation. His sacrifice eventually paid off when he single-handedly won Ghana the game with a last-gasp strike, Ghanaweb reports.
Ghana vs Nigeria – 2010 AFCON
Baby Jet, his nickname after his searing pace, had a knack of scoring crucial goals when his home country needed him the most and one of those 51 strikes, which will forever be remembered, was his solitary goal against the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
The Black Stars assembled a predominantly inexperienced squad for the tournament in Angola, with Gyan and goalkeeper, Richard Kingson, assuming leadership roles in a team comprised of many young talents.
True to form, the legend showcased his aerial prowess by soaring above the rest to connect with a corner delivered by Kwadwo Asamoah, propelling Ghana into the final of the 2010 AFCON.
With a remarkable record of scoring in every game except versus Burkina Faso, he guided the nation to another grand finale, only to suffer a similar fate as Egypt emerged victorious by a narrow margin.
Story By: Godwin Nii Armah Tagoe- SportsBrief.com
