Asamoah Gyan: “I was the worst player every time I didn’t score for Ghana.”

Ghana’s all-time top scorer, former forward Asamoah Gyan explains how fans’ expectations and the constant pressure fueled his consistency and effectiveness for the national team.

The former emblematic forward of the Black Stars, Asamoah Gyan, has spoken about the mindset that shaped his exploits in Ghana’s kit and fed his exceptional longevity at the highest international level. A Ghanaian international since November 2003, Gyan ended his career with the status of the national team’s all-time top scorer, tallying 51 goals in 109 appearances. A pillar of the Black Stars’ attack for more than a decade, he took part in three FIFA World Cup tournaments — in 2006 in Germany, in 2010 in South Africa, and in 2014 in Brazil — before announcing his retirement from professional football in June 2023.

At 40, the former captain looked back on the constant pressure that accompanied his role as the attacking leader. « When I played for Ghana, people obviously expected me to score, because that’s what the fans want. So I set myself the goal of being regular, so that in every match, they would know that I could score», he said. A constant demand that he turned into a driving force. «Every time I didn’t score, it was perceived as a problem. So, before every game, I prayed and asked God to help me give the supporters what they expected», he explained.

Conscious of the expectations placed on him, Gyan lucidly summarized the reality of the striker’s role: «People have confidence in me and know that I can score at any moment. When I don’t score, I am the worst player; when I score, I am the best.» Beyond his national legacy, Asamoah Gyan also holds a major continental record, remaining to this day the leading African goalscorer in World Cup history, with six goals on the world stage.