Former Black Stars striker and captain Asamoah Gyan has talked about the pressure that pushed him to score goals for Ghana.
Gyan made his senior debut for the national team in November 2003 and went on to become Ghana’s all-time top scorer, with 51 goals in 109 appearances.
He featured at three FIFA World Cups; Germany 2006, South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014 and retired from professional football in June 2023.
Looking back at his time with the Black Stars, the 40-year-old said he set very high standards for himself because of fan expectations and his role as Ghana’s main striker.
“When I used to play for Ghana, obviously, people expect you to score goals because that is what the fans want,” Gyan said.
“So I created that for myself to be consistent in my goal-scoring, so they knew that anytime Ghana plays, they knew I would score.”
He admitted the pressure was heavy, but said it pushed him to perform.
“Anytime I don’t score, then there is a problem, so anytime I am going into a game, I pray, and I ask God to help me give the fans what they want,” he said.
“The people have confidence in me that I can score at any time so when I don’t score, I am the worst player, but when I score, I am the best player.”
Gyan also holds a major African record. He remains the continent’s highest goal scorer in FIFA World Cup history, with six goals.
By: Pascal Amoah
