I Wasn’t Respected As Black Stars Captain- Asamoah Gyan

Legendary Ghanaian footballer Asamoah Gyan has poured out his heart, giving insight into his days as captain of the Senior national male team, the Black Stars.

According to him, his days as the captain of the team is nothing to write home about as he was disrespected by administrators, junior and colleague players.

He asserts that this was due to a brainwashing process that was taking place behind his back.

He described his moments as captain as lonely, adding that his regard as leader of the players was only recognized on the field.

“I was alone during my time as Captain of the national team. I only delivered on the field. I was alone. I had the captain’s armband. People were brainwashed. I was not respected as the captain. There were people brainwashing these kids for me to be respected,” he shared in a live video on Instagram on Thursday, January 2, 2025.

“You see the effect after I left? The kids who got brainwashed have regrets to date. I won’t mention names but look at how those kids dropped out of the national team. Players of my generation who left the national team one after the other were the ones who were brainwashed to turn against me.”

As part of this, he highlighted an incident that transpired during a game where he scored his 50th career goal.

“When I scored my 50th goal, I had a customised captain armband with my face. Instead of celebrating my 50th goal, you were focused on my face which was on the band and others were stoking hatred towards me.”

He believes attitudes and incidents such as these have fuelled the underperformance of the national team in recent years.

“All people I have worked with know my heart. When I come into your life, it’s all joy and when I leave ‘it’s curses’.”

He made his debut with Ghanaian Premier League club Liberty Professionals in 2003 and then played internationally for clubs including Udinese, Rennes, Sunderland, Al Ain, Shanghai SIPG, Kayserispor and North East United.

The 37-year-old made his debut on Ghana’s senior national team in November 2003 at 17 years.

He represented Ghana at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups.

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 and in seven Africa Cup of Nations in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019, helping them finish in third place in 2008 and runner-up in 2010 and 2015.

He is also Ghana’s all-time top scorer with 51 Goals and the country’s most-capped player – 109 Games.

He officially hanged his boots in June 2023.

Source: opemsuo.com /Hajara Fuseini