Former Ghana national team striker and Black Stars all-time leading scorer Asamoah Gyan went off on a number of national issues including the perceived rivalry between him and current Black Stars captain Andre Ayew, the National Democratic Congress' proposed economic policy on the 24-hour economy and popular Ghanaian musician Shatta Wale’s lifestyle.
In explosive tirade on his Instagram page, the former Sunderland goal poacher accused some unknown faces of pitting him against Andre Ayew over the captaincy issue. Both players were key in Ghana’s campaigns at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and other Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments.
While Gyan captained the team from 2012 to 2019, Ayew succeeded him in dramatic fashion fueling speculation of rivalry between the two. However Gyan believes Andre has a better persona but a section of Ghanaians clashed heads by brainwashing the son of Abedi Pele.
“Andre is a good person. He has that genuine love for me but he has been brainwashed because it benefits people,” Gyan stated during the Instagram Live session. "That is what has brought the so called rivalry. Me, I am not a rival to anyone,” Gyan said.
At the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Gyan wasted a crucial penalty against Uruguay which could have sent the four time African champions into a historic semifinal. Many have criticized the former captain for squandering the penalty on purpose but Gyan lashed out at those critics.
“How could anyone suggest that I missed the penalty against Uruguay on purpose? For what reason exactly? I was Ghana’s first-choice penalty taker. Why would you go behind me and talk about me missing the penalty?"
“When the penalty miss happened, I was abused and called names because some people said I should have left it for someone else,” Gyan said.
“Why didn’t they step up to take it? They were afraid. Cowards. I will say that they are cowards. The fans can say what they want but sometimes we need to educate them. Yet, nobody spoke up for me.”
Asamoah Gyan revealed yet another rift with former Ghana striker Prince Tagoe which he attributed to external influences.
"Prince Tagoe was brainwashed. People said bad things about me to him. I didn’t see eye to eye with him. He has a good heart and he’s a good person. I now have a great relationship with him," he stated.
In another development, Asamoah Gyan, who was once involved in the political campaign for New Patriotic Party candidate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for the 2024 general elections, stated that the NPP exploited his social status to garner votes from Ghanaians.
“They (NPP) used my popularity to get votes from the people,” Gyan said. The NPP suffered defeat at the polls with Bawumia's defeat to Ghana president-elect John Mahama in early December.
The 39-year-old had initially joined Bawumia’s sports manifesto team in February 2024 ahead of the election. His association with the NPP raised questions with many fans surprised by his apparent support for the party. However, just weeks later, Gyan's public support for the NPP declined.
Asamoah Gyan is noted for loving music since his school days and has been featured on a bill with the late artist Castro and another popular musician, Sarkodie. Gyan has likened his achievements and lifestyle to that of one of the best dancehall artists in Ghana and Africa, Shatta Wale.
Both Gyan and Shatta Wale were schoolmates at the junior high school level at Seven Great Princes Academy in Dansoman and the record Ghana top scorer says his lifestyle is similar to that of Shatta Wale.
He emphasizes the need to remain calm and respectful despite one’s achievements in life. "All my colleagues I have achieved more than them but when I see them I respect them. I know Shatta Wale, when he sees people he will bow down. He used to be beaten up. It doesn’t mean he is stupid because the same people he bows down to, when they misbehave, he will insult them."
“So they will know that, regardless the achievement humility is key to long life and that is what people don’t get. So I say, that guy watch his life and watch my life, it’s God’s gift, natural. Wherever I go I stand out. Out of one hundred people I will be picked ahead of everybody and that is how Shatta Wale is,” Gyan declared.
Asamoah Gyan is Africa’s top scorer at the FIFA World Cup with six goals having featured for Udinese and Modena in Italy, Rennes in France, Al Ain of Saudi Arabia and Shabab Al Ahli in the Emirates, China’s Shanghai SIPG, Kayserispor in Turkey and North East United in India.
His last encounter with football was back home in Ghana with Legon Cities FC after cutting his professional teeth with now defunct Liberty Professionals.
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