Top Achievements of Ghanaian and African Icon Asamoah “Baby Jet” Gyan

Top Achievements of Ghanaian and African Icon Asamoah “Baby Jet” Gyan
Credit: Iconsport

The moment that all of Africa has been expecting but not looking forward to is finally here, as Asamoah Gyan announces his retirement from professional football.

One of the continent's best strikers has left the centre stage after a storied career which spanned 20 years. He has been inactive for the larger part of two years but he continued to be involved in football at the grassroot level. Now, he bows out while the ovation is loudest to focus on his media punditry other things, chief of which is critiquing the Ghana Football Association on their handling of Ghanaian football.

Asamoah Gyan: Achievements spanning almost two decades

Asamoah Gyan last played top flight football for Ghana Premier League side Legon Cities. He left the club in 2021 and has not featured for a top flight club since then.

He has appeared in a number of charity matches, had some tryouts but never really struck gold with another team. In that time, the 37-year-old has made a name for himself as a media pundit in the African scene, covering events such as the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2021 AFCON tournament which was held in Cameroon. In the 18 years he spent as a top flight player, Gyan played for the Ghana national football team for 16 years, making him one of the longest serving players of the Black Stars team.

He would finish on the AFCON podium three times, winning two runners-up medals in 2018 and 2015, while coming in third place in 2008. He won two Ghana Player of the Year awards and was crowned the Ghana Player of the Decade in 2020. He is the Black Stars most capped international and the top scorer with 51 goals from 109 games.

Gyan was speaking at the Afreximbank 30th annual meeting at the Accra International Conference Centre when he officially announced his retirement from the sport. He was in the company of Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba, who consoled him as he made his retirement official amidst tears.

Asamoah Gyan: Most notable moments

“I want to take this great opportunity, a stage that is difficult in every footballer's career, a moment all footballers do not wish, but when nature dawns, that thin voice will keep echoing into the ears,” Gyan said. “It is time. That voice has been very clear in my ears and I have succumbed to it. It is time. It is time to hang the jersey and the boots in glory as I retire officially from active football.”

Gyan then promised to continue to work for the improvement of Ghanaian football through coaching and scouting as well as investment in football clubs to raise up the next stars that will represent the West African nation.

Gyan will retire with some notable moments, chief of which is his performances at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Ghana were close to becoming the first African team to make the semifinals of the World Cup until Uruguay striker Luis Suarez stopped a goalbound effort on the line with his hands.

Gyan would undo all the good he had done up until that point by scuffing the spot kick and paving the way for Uruguay to progress past them. It is a memory which haunts him until today but his efforts in Ghanaian football have more than made up for it.

This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago

Daniel Kolade
All-round lover of the beautiful game. Massive football fan, supported Arsenal for decades for reasons that are unexplainable. One day we will win the Champions League!
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