The all-time leading scorer for Ghana’s national football team, the black stars, Asamoah Gyan, has announced his shocking retirement.
His retirement from the Black Stars on Monday comes barley a month to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
In a statement, the striker said he will not be available for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Egypt.
“Upon consultation with my family and team, and as an active footballer and captain of the National team, if the decision of the coach is to give captaincy of the tournament to another player while I am named in the team for the tournament, I wish to recuse myself from the tournament,” Gyan said in a statement.
He added that “I also wish to retire from the national team permanently; not pretending my presence would not fuel the purported undermining the country has seen under my captaincy.
“I would continue to serve the country Ghana in other endeavours as a businessman through various investments.”
Thank you Ghana, am forever grateful ? @AnimSammy @BaffourGyan4 @cobbyafriyie pic.twitter.com/xDaUKxeIOn
— ASAMOAH GYAN (@ASAMOAH_GYAN3) May 20, 2019
Gyan made his international debut at the age of 17 and scored on his senior International debut for Ghana against Somalia on 19 November 2003.
Since then, he has gone on to make 106 appearances for the Black Stars scoring a total of 51 goals
As the all-time leading goal-scorer of the Ghana national team, he represented Ghana at 2006, 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup competitions.
With 6 goals, he is the top African goalscorer in the history of the World Cup.
Gyan has also represented Ghana at the 2004 Summer Olympics. He played in seven Africa Cup of Nations in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2017, helping Ghana finish in third-place in 2008 and runner-up in 2010 and 2015.
Soccer fans have been reacting to his retirement on social media.
Asamoah Gyan served Ghana wholeheartedly.
He deserves some accolades.
Statistics do not lie!!
— n.a (@thenanaaba) May 20, 2019
This story of Asamoah Gyan. What’s the real story? I don’t think you should just quit for losing the captaincy.
Vincent Kompany and Thiago Silva lost captaincy to Hazard and Neymar and they continued playing.— Eric Njiru (@Erik_Njiru) May 21, 2019
Asamoah Gyan lacks the sportsmanship mentality. He is too full of himself. Rio Ferdinand lost the captain’s armband to John Terry but continued to play. @ASAMOAH_GYAN3 shame on you.
— Philip Etale (@EtalePhilip) May 21, 2019
Asamoah Gyan has a good claim as one of the most potent Ghana striker at international level.
Here are the numbers.#3Sports pic.twitter.com/bQNLCvsX0j
— Michael Oti Adjei (@OtiAdjei) May 20, 2019
Who is going to keep the goals coming now? Asamoah Gyan was really the man who could easily turn things around. Sad to see him go really sad ???? pic.twitter.com/S03pSimgBt
— stone kay (@FillaEnter) May 20, 2019
Source: Africafeeds.com
