Former Black Stars attacker Asamoah Gyan said the hardest pressure he felt for Ghana was not against the top teams, but when playing weaker sides.
Gyan, one of Ghana’s all-time greats, first gained international attention at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, where his goals put him on the global stage. He went on to become Africa’s top World Cup scorer and Ghana’s leading goalscorer of all time.
In a recent interview with former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, Gyan explained that wearing the national jersey always carried responsibility but the mental burden was heaviest in matches Ghana were expected to win.
“There was always pressure playing for Ghana,” Gyan said.
“Where I felt it most was playing against the minnows, but no disrespect to them. Playing against teams that we were ahead of statistically, when we go into such games they have nothing to lose, but we have something to lose. That is when I really felt the pressure. But playing against the top teams, I didn’t feel it as much.”
The former captain retired from professional football in June 2023, leaving behind a remarkable career that made a lasting mark on Ghanaian and African football.
By: Pascal Amoah
