Asamoah Gyan
Encyclopedia
Asamoah Gyan is a Ghana
ian professional footballer, who plays as a striker for Emirati
club Al Ain
in the UAE Pro-League
(on loan from English
club Sunderland
of the Premier League), and the Ghana national team
.
Gyan shot to prominence after scoring three goals at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
, and also missing a penalty in the last minute of extra-time in Ghana's quarter-final defeat by Uruguay
.
in 2003 from Ghanaian club Liberty Professionals located in his hometown of Accra, Gyan spent two years on loan at Serie B
club Modena
to gain match experience. Following some excellent displays during the 2006 World Cup
, he attracted interest from Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow. Gyan returned to Udinese at the start of 2006, but on 17 February 2007, Udinese pulled out of a deal to sell him in the January transfer window. The striker was on the verge of signing a 3-year deal with Russian Club Lokomotiv Moscow for US$10.5m, the fourth largest transfer fee in Russian football history. "The striker Udinese targeted to replace me did not sign for them," Gyan told BBC Sport. "I've been told I will now have to stay in Italy for the rest of the season."
On 10 August 2007, along with Fabio Quagliarella
, Gyan signed an improved 5-year contract extension to stay at Udinese until 30 June 2012 as a reward for his fine form in the 2007–08 pre-season. "I have decided to stay here because it is one of the top leagues in the world," Asamoah said, "There is the possibility of me playing regular football here to make me a better player. "I am comfortable with the new deal and I know I can help Udinese achieve great things for the future". Asamoah and Quagliarella marked their contract extensions with a brace each in Udinese's 7–0 friendly win later that evening.
Gyan was also linked with moves to Manchester United
, Arsenal
and AC Milan
. On 29 July 2007 following his impressive pre-season form, including a hat-trick in a friendly against Serie B
outfit Spezia
on 25 July, before Udinese sealed the long term deal. Gyan scored 10 goals in 2006–07 to help the Stadio Friuli club finish in 10th place in Serie A
.
Gyan was dogged by injury during the 2007–08 season and never appeared for Udinese again after January 2008, having played only 13 Serie A
matches and scored 4 times that season.
Club Stade Rennais for 4 years on an €8 million transfer fee. Gyan played 48 times for Rennes, scoring 14 goals. By the end of his stay at Rennes, he became a well known goal scoring figure, scoring 13 league goals in the 2009-10 season. However, Asamoah Gyan only played two games in Ligue 1 the following season, taking his total appearances to 50, before he departed for Sunderland.
on a four-year deal. The fee was approximately £13m, breaking the club's previous transfer fee record, which was paid to Tottenham Hotspur
for striker Darren Bent
. Gyan was later given the number 33 shirt at Sunderland. He scored on his Sunderland debut against Wigan Athletic
on 11 September after coming on as a substitute for Danny Welbeck
. The match ended in a 1–1 draw with Antolín Alcaraz
scoring Wigan's equaliser. He marked his first start for Sunderland by netting their only goal in their League Cup
exit at the hands of West Ham United. Gyan scored twice on his first Premier League start for the club in a 2–0 win against Stoke City
on 6 November. His first goal came in the 9th minute when a Nedum Onuoha
shot was parried by goalkeeper Asmir Begović
, with Gyan on hand to tap home the rebound and his second came in the 86th minute, to secure a 2–0 victory for the Black Cats. Three days later, he followed this up by scoring the equaliser against Tottenham at White Hart Lane
in a 1–1 draw as Sunderland moved up to seventh in the table. He also scored a goal in Sunderland's 3–0 victory at Stamford Bridge
against Chelsea
. Gyan scored Sunderland's third goal in their 3–0 victory over Blackburn Rovers
on 1 January 2011. On 16 January 2011, he started against local rivals Newcastle United
, scoring a 94th minute equaliser, preventing Newcastle gaining their second win of the season against Sunderland. Gyan added to his impressive goalscoring tally with a goal away at Stoke City on 5 February 2011. He scored an 11th minute goal against Tottenham on 12 February 2011. Gyan's next goal came on April 23 as Sunderland beat Wigan Athletic
4-2, a match which ended prematurely for the forward as he was substituted following a hamstring injury which is expected to see him miss the remainder of the season. Gyan did recover in time to feature in Sunderland's last game of the season at West Ham but didn't add to his tally finishing his first season in English football with 10 league goals. Gyan took the number 3 shirt for the 2011/12 season, the same number he wears for Ghana.
website that Gyan would leave on a season long loan to UAE Pro-League
club Al Ain
. Amid speculation of a fee of up to £6m being paid for the loan period, with Gyan receiving up to four times his previous salary, Chairman Niall Quinn
emphasised the financial benefits of the deal for both Sunderland and the player.
against Somalia
on 19 November 2003 in the 90th minute, he came on for Isaac Boakye
in the 62nd minute in a 2006 FIFA World Cup
qualifier, three days before he turned 18 years; helping Ghana to win that game, and making him the youngest ever player to score for Ghana. He scored four times in seven matches during that successful World Cup qualifying campaign.
He was part of the 2004 Ghana Olympic squad, who exited in the first round
, having finished in third place in Group B.
He also scored the fastest goal of the 2006 World Cup
after 68 seconds. The strike was also Ghana's first ever goal in the World Cup, coming in the game against the Czech Republic
on 17 June at the RheinEnergieStadion
in Cologne
, Germany
, which set the Black Stars on their way to a 2–0 victory. He missed a penalty later in the game, and received a yellow card
ruling him out of the final group game for trying to take the penalty too early. In Ghana's defeat to Brazil
in the Round of 16, he was sent off in the 81st minute after collecting his second booking of the match (for diving
).
On 24 January 2008 during the Africa Cup of Nations
Gyan and his brother Baffour decided to walk out on the Black Stars following criticism after their unconvincing 1–0 win over Namibia
. The media learnt the brothers had packed their bags and were ready to leave the team hotel but were persuaded to stay by team-mates. In the 2010 African Cup of Nations
, Asamoah Gyan helped a Ghana team, ravaged by injuries to the finals. Gyan scored three out of the four Ghana goals during the tournament.
Gyan scored with a penalty in the 85th minute of Ghana's
first match of the 2010 World Cup
against Serbia
, in a 1–0 win. He hit the post in the 92nd minute before being substituted to a standing ovation just before the final whistle. In Ghana's second game, he scored a penalty in the 26th minute to level the scores and earn his team a 1–1 draw against Australia.
In the round of 16 match against the USA
, he scored a goal in extra time allowing Ghana to win by a score of 2 to 1 and hence become the third African team in history to qualify to the tournament's quarter final, after Cameroon
and Senegal
. In the quarter final tie against Uruguay
, following Luis Suárez
's handling of the ball on the goal-line, he missed a penalty kick with no time remaining at end of extra time, hitting the crossbar and necessitating a penalty shootout to decide the game. He converted his penalty in the subsequent penalty shootout, but Uruguay went on to win the shootout 4–2. Gyan scored Ghana's equaliser against England
at Wembley
in the international friendly on 29 March 2011.
In total, Gyan has scored 26 times in 48 appearances for Ghana.
for Asante Kotoko
.
In summer 2010, Gyan recorded and released a Ghanaian Hiplife
song with Castro The Destroyer, where he features under the alias 'Baby Jet'. The song is entitled "African Girls" and was launched unto the Ghanaian screens despite the fact that Gyan's music was interfering with his football career. The video shows his famous 'Asamoah Gyan Dance' celebration which he demonstrated at the 2010 World Cup and at Sunderland. The song won an award at the Ghana Music awards in 2011.
He also joined Castro for another duo "Do Da Dance".
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian professional footballer, who plays as a striker for Emirati
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
club Al Ain
Al Ain FC
Al-Ain Sports and Cultural Club is a professional association football and mult-sports club based in the city of Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates. The football section of Al Ain won the 2003 AFC Champions League competition with a 2-1 aggregate victory over BEC Tero Sasana of Thailand.Al Ain...
in the UAE Pro-League
UAE Pro-League
The UAE Pro-League is the First Division of the UAE Football League, commonly known as Etisalat Pro-League for sponsorship reasons, since 2008, is the top professional association football league in United Arab Emirates...
(on loan from English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
club Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
of the Premier League), and the Ghana national team
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
.
Gyan shot to prominence after scoring three goals at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
, and also missing a penalty in the last minute of extra-time in Ghana's quarter-final defeat by Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
.
Udinese
Having signed for UdineseUdinese Calcio
Udinese Calcio is an Italian football club based in Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and currently plays in the Serie A. Founded in 1896, Udinese is the second oldest club in the Serie A, after Genoa....
in 2003 from Ghanaian club Liberty Professionals located in his hometown of Accra, Gyan spent two years on loan at Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
club Modena
Modena F.C.
Modena Football Club is an Italian football club based in Modena, Emilia-Romagna. The club was formed in 1912 and currently plays in Italian Serie B, after being relegated from a two year period in Serie A in the year 2004. The team's previous stay in Italy's top division ended in 1964. The team...
to gain match experience. Following some excellent displays during the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, he attracted interest from Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow. Gyan returned to Udinese at the start of 2006, but on 17 February 2007, Udinese pulled out of a deal to sell him in the January transfer window. The striker was on the verge of signing a 3-year deal with Russian Club Lokomotiv Moscow for US$10.5m, the fourth largest transfer fee in Russian football history. "The striker Udinese targeted to replace me did not sign for them," Gyan told BBC Sport. "I've been told I will now have to stay in Italy for the rest of the season."
On 10 August 2007, along with Fabio Quagliarella
Fabio Quagliarella
Fabio Quagliarella is an Italian footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Juventus and internationally for the Italian national team. He is known for scoring incredible goals from unconventional angles that often catch the goalkeeper by surprise.-Early career:Quagliarella began his...
, Gyan signed an improved 5-year contract extension to stay at Udinese until 30 June 2012 as a reward for his fine form in the 2007–08 pre-season. "I have decided to stay here because it is one of the top leagues in the world," Asamoah said, "There is the possibility of me playing regular football here to make me a better player. "I am comfortable with the new deal and I know I can help Udinese achieve great things for the future". Asamoah and Quagliarella marked their contract extensions with a brace each in Udinese's 7–0 friendly win later that evening.
Gyan was also linked with moves to Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and AC Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
. On 29 July 2007 following his impressive pre-season form, including a hat-trick in a friendly against Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
outfit Spezia
Spezia Calcio 1906
Spezia Calcio 1906 is an Italian football club, based in La Spezia, Liguria. Founded in 1906, the team's colors are black and white. The club's home ground is Stadio Alberto Picco.-1944 scudetto:...
on 25 July, before Udinese sealed the long term deal. Gyan scored 10 goals in 2006–07 to help the Stadio Friuli club finish in 10th place in Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
.
Gyan was dogged by injury during the 2007–08 season and never appeared for Udinese again after January 2008, having played only 13 Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
matches and scored 4 times that season.
Rennes
On 11 July 2008, Gyan was signed by French Ligue 1Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
Club Stade Rennais for 4 years on an €8 million transfer fee. Gyan played 48 times for Rennes, scoring 14 goals. By the end of his stay at Rennes, he became a well known goal scoring figure, scoring 13 league goals in the 2009-10 season. However, Asamoah Gyan only played two games in Ligue 1 the following season, taking his total appearances to 50, before he departed for Sunderland.
Sunderland
On 31 August 2010, Gyan signed for Premier League club SunderlandSunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
on a four-year deal. The fee was approximately £13m, breaking the club's previous transfer fee record, which was paid to Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
for striker Darren Bent
Darren Bent
Darren Ashley Bent is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa as a striker.Bent started his career with Ipswich Town. After progressing through their youth system he made his first team debut in 2001. He made 122 appearances and scored 48 goals in the league for Ipswich, before joining...
. Gyan was later given the number 33 shirt at Sunderland. He scored on his Sunderland debut against Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
on 11 September after coming on as a substitute for Danny Welbeck
Danny Welbeck
Daniel Nii Tackie Mensah "Danny" Welbeck is an English footballer who plays for Manchester United and the England national football team. He is a centre forward who can also play on the wing....
. The match ended in a 1–1 draw with Antolín Alcaraz
Antolin Alcaraz
Antolín Alcaraz Viveros is a Paraguayan footballer who plays for Wigan Athletic in the Premier League, as a central defender.-Club career:...
scoring Wigan's equaliser. He marked his first start for Sunderland by netting their only goal in their League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
exit at the hands of West Ham United. Gyan scored twice on his first Premier League start for the club in a 2–0 win against Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
on 6 November. His first goal came in the 9th minute when a Nedum Onuoha
Nedum Onuoha
Chinedum "Nedum" Onuoha is an English-Nigerian footballer. He currently plays for Manchester City. He is a defender, typically a centre back, but he can also play at right back or left back.-Biography:...
shot was parried by goalkeeper Asmir Begović
Asmir Begovic
Asmir Begović is a Bosnian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Stoke City and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team....
, with Gyan on hand to tap home the rebound and his second came in the 86th minute, to secure a 2–0 victory for the Black Cats. Three days later, he followed this up by scoring the equaliser against Tottenham at White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
in a 1–1 draw as Sunderland moved up to seventh in the table. He also scored a goal in Sunderland's 3–0 victory at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge could be* Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire, a village in England** The Battle of Stamford Bridge* Stamford Bridge , in London** by metonymy, Chelsea F.C., football club based in the stadium...
against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
. Gyan scored Sunderland's third goal in their 3–0 victory over Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
on 1 January 2011. On 16 January 2011, he started against local rivals Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
, scoring a 94th minute equaliser, preventing Newcastle gaining their second win of the season against Sunderland. Gyan added to his impressive goalscoring tally with a goal away at Stoke City on 5 February 2011. He scored an 11th minute goal against Tottenham on 12 February 2011. Gyan's next goal came on April 23 as Sunderland beat Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
4-2, a match which ended prematurely for the forward as he was substituted following a hamstring injury which is expected to see him miss the remainder of the season. Gyan did recover in time to feature in Sunderland's last game of the season at West Ham but didn't add to his tally finishing his first season in English football with 10 league goals. Gyan took the number 3 shirt for the 2011/12 season, the same number he wears for Ghana.
Al Ain loan
On 10 September 2011, it was confirmed on the SunderlandSunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
website that Gyan would leave on a season long loan to UAE Pro-League
UAE Pro-League
The UAE Pro-League is the First Division of the UAE Football League, commonly known as Etisalat Pro-League for sponsorship reasons, since 2008, is the top professional association football league in United Arab Emirates...
club Al Ain
Al Ain FC
Al-Ain Sports and Cultural Club is a professional association football and mult-sports club based in the city of Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates. The football section of Al Ain won the 2003 AFC Champions League competition with a 2-1 aggregate victory over BEC Tero Sasana of Thailand.Al Ain...
. Amid speculation of a fee of up to £6m being paid for the loan period, with Gyan receiving up to four times his previous salary, Chairman Niall Quinn
Niall Quinn
Niall John Quinn honorary MBE is a former Irish international footballer, and the ex-chairman of Sunderland AFC. He still works at the club as an overseas manager. He is also heavily involved in the management side of horse racing...
emphasised the financial benefits of the deal for both Sunderland and the player.
International career
Asamoah Gyan made his international debut at the age of 17. Gyan scored on his senior International debut for GhanaGhana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
against Somalia
Somalia national football team
The Somalia national football team, nicknamed The Ocean Stars, is the national football team of Somalia. It is controlled by the Somali Football Federation, and is a member of the Confederation of African Football and the Union of Arab Football Associations . It has never qualified for the final...
on 19 November 2003 in the 90th minute, he came on for Isaac Boakye
Isaac Boakye
Isaac Boakye is a Ghanaian International football striker who is currently a free agent.-Professional career:...
in the 62nd minute in a 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
qualifier, three days before he turned 18 years; helping Ghana to win that game, and making him the youngest ever player to score for Ghana. He scored four times in seven matches during that successful World Cup qualifying campaign.
He was part of the 2004 Ghana Olympic squad, who exited in the first round
Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's tournament
The men's football tournament at the 2004 Summer Olympics featured 16 men's national teams from the six continental confederations. The 16 teams were drawn into four groups of four, in which each team would play each of the others once...
, having finished in third place in Group B.
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
after 68 seconds. The strike was also Ghana's first ever goal in the World Cup, coming in the game against the Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
on 17 June at the RheinEnergieStadion
RheinEnergieStadion
The RheinEnergieStadion is a football stadium in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was built on the site of the two previous Müngersdorfer stadiums. It is the home of the local Bundesliga team, 1. FC Köln. The stadium was one of the 12 hosting the 2006 FIFA World Cup...
in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, which set the Black Stars on their way to a 2–0 victory. He missed a penalty later in the game, and received a yellow card
2006 FIFA World Cup disciplinary record
Sanctions against foul play at the 2006 FIFA World Cup are in the first instance the responsibility of the referee, but when he deems it necessary to give a caution, or dismiss a player, FIFA keeps a record and may enforce a suspension. Referee decisions are generally seen as final...
ruling him out of the final group game for trying to take the penalty too early. In Ghana's defeat to Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
in the Round of 16, he was sent off in the 81st minute after collecting his second booking of the match (for diving
Diving (football)
In association football, diving is an attempt by a player to gain an unfair advantage by diving to the ground and possibly feigning an injury, to appear as if a foul has been committed. Dives are often used to exaggerate the amount of contact present in a challenge...
).
On 24 January 2008 during the Africa Cup of Nations
2008 African Cup of Nations
The 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, also known as the MTN Africa Cup of Nations due to the competition's sponsorship by MTN, was the 26th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the biennial football tournament for nations affiliated to the Confederation of African Football . The tournament was staged at...
Gyan and his brother Baffour decided to walk out on the Black Stars following criticism after their unconvincing 1–0 win over Namibia
Namibia national football team
The Namibia national football team, nicknamed the Brave Warriors, is the national team of Namibia and is controlled by the Namibia Football Association...
. The media learnt the brothers had packed their bags and were ready to leave the team hotel but were persuaded to stay by team-mates. In the 2010 African Cup of Nations
2010 African Cup of Nations
The 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, also known as the Orange Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons, was the 27th Africa Cup of Nations, the biennial football championship of Africa...
, Asamoah Gyan helped a Ghana team, ravaged by injuries to the finals. Gyan scored three out of the four Ghana goals during the tournament.
Gyan scored with a penalty in the 85th minute of Ghana's
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
first match of the 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
against Serbia
Serbia national football team
The Serbia national football team represents Serbia in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia, the governing body for football in Serbia. Serbia's home ground is Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and their last head coach was Vladimir Petrović...
, in a 1–0 win. He hit the post in the 92nd minute before being substituted to a standing ovation just before the final whistle. In Ghana's second game, he scored a penalty in the 26th minute to level the scores and earn his team a 1–1 draw against Australia.
In the round of 16 match against the USA
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
, he scored a goal in extra time allowing Ghana to win by a score of 2 to 1 and hence become the third African team in history to qualify to the tournament's quarter final, after Cameroon
Cameroon national football team
The Cameroon national football team, nicknamed Les Lions Indomptables , is controlled by the Fédération Camerounaise de Football and is Africa's most successful side in FIFA world cup; having qualified for the FIFA World Cup six times – in 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010– more than any...
and Senegal
Senegal national football team
The Senegal national football team, nicknamed the Lions of Teranga, is the national team of Senegal and is controlled by the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football...
. In the quarter final tie against Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
, following Luis Suárez
Luis Suárez (Uruguayan footballer)
Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz , commonly known as Luis Suárez and nicknamed "El Pistolero" , is a Uruguayan footballer who plays for Liverpool and the Uruguayan national team...
's handling of the ball on the goal-line, he missed a penalty kick with no time remaining at end of extra time, hitting the crossbar and necessitating a penalty shootout to decide the game. He converted his penalty in the subsequent penalty shootout, but Uruguay went on to win the shootout 4–2. Gyan scored Ghana's equaliser against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
at Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
in the international friendly on 29 March 2011.
In total, Gyan has scored 26 times in 48 appearances for Ghana.
International goals
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | |||||
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| 1. | 19 November 2003 | Ohene Djan Stadium, Ghana Ghana Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south... |
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2006 World Cup qualification 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) Listed below are the dates and results for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for Africa. 51 teams took part , competing for 5 World Cup places.The qualification was composed of two Rounds... |
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| 2. | 25 June 2004 | Maputo Maputo Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its... , Mozambique Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest... |
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Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
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| 3. | 3 July 2004 | National Stadium National Stadium (Uganda) Mandela National Stadium often referred to as Namboole Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Kampala, Uganda. It is currently used mostly for football matches, although other sports are also practiced. The stadium has a capacity of 45,202 people... , Uganda Uganda Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by... |
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2006 World Cup qualification 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) Listed below are the dates and results for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for Africa. 51 teams took part , competing for 5 World Cup places.The qualification was composed of two Rounds... |
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| 4. | 23 March 2005 | Nairobi Nairobi Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is... , Kenya Kenya Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east... |
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Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
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| 5. | 27 March 2005 | Stade des Martyrs Stade des Martyrs Stade des Martyrs of Pentecost, also known as simply Stade des Martyrs and formerly known as Stade Kamanyola is a national stadium located in the town of Lingwala in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo... , Democratic Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world... |
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2006 World Cup qualification 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) Listed below are the dates and results for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for Africa. 51 teams took part , competing for 5 World Cup places.The qualification was composed of two Rounds... |
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| 6. | 8 October 2005 | Estádio da Várzea Estádio da Várzea Estádio da Várzea is a multi-purpose stadium in Praia, Cape Verde. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium holds 10,000 people. The stadium has seat rows in the left and right sides and a small hill and a plateau lies to the west... , Cape Verde Islands |
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2006 World Cup qualification 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) Listed below are the dates and results for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for Africa. 51 teams took part , competing for 5 World Cup places.The qualification was composed of two Rounds... |
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| 7. | 14 November 2005 | King Fahd International Stadium, Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World... |
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Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
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| 9. | 4 June 2006 | Easter Road Stadium, Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... |
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Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
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| 10. | 17 June 2006 | RheinEnergieStadion RheinEnergieStadion The RheinEnergieStadion is a football stadium in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was built on the site of the two previous Müngersdorfer stadiums. It is the home of the local Bundesliga team, 1. FC Köln. The stadium was one of the 12 hosting the 2006 FIFA World Cup... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
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2006 World Cup 2006 FIFA World Cup The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six... |
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| 11. | 8 October 2006 | Seoul World Cup Stadium Seoul World Cup Stadium The Seoul World Cup Stadium, also known as Sangam Stadium, is located in Seongsan, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It was built for the 2002 FIFA World Cup and opened in 2001. It was designed to represent the image of a traditional Korean kite... , South Korea South Korea The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south... |
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Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
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| 13. | 21 August 2007 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
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Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
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| 14. | 20 January 2008 | Ohene Djan Stadium, Ghana Ghana Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south... |
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2008 Africa Cup of Nations | ||||||
| 15. | 9 September 2009 | Stadion Galgenwaard, Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
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Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
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| 17. | 15 January 2010 | Estádio Nacional do Chiazi, Angola Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city... |
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2010 Africa Cup of Nations | ||||||
| 18. | 24 January 2010 | Estádio 11 de Novembro Estádio 11 de Novembro The Estádio 11 de Novembro is a multi-use stadium in Luanda, Angola. Completed in 2010 ahead of the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, it hosted nine matches during the tournament, including five Group A matches, one group b match, one quarter final, one semi-final, and the final. Its capacity is... , Angola Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city... |
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2010 Africa Cup of Nations | ||||||
| 19. | 28 January 2010 | Estádio 11 de Novembro Estádio 11 de Novembro The Estádio 11 de Novembro is a multi-use stadium in Luanda, Angola. Completed in 2010 ahead of the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, it hosted nine matches during the tournament, including five Group A matches, one group b match, one quarter final, one semi-final, and the final. Its capacity is... , Angola Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city... |
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2010 Africa Cup of Nations | ||||||
| 20. | 1 June 2010 | De Kuip, Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
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Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
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| 21. | 13 June 2010 | Loftus Versfeld Stadium Loftus Versfeld Stadium Loftus Versfeld Stadium is a rugby and association football stadium situated in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. The stadium has a capacity of 51,762 for rugby union and hosted the 2009 Currie Cup final... , South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... |
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2010 World Cup 2010 FIFA World Cup The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010... |
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| 22. | 19 June 2010 | Royal Bafokeng Stadium Royal Bafokeng Stadium The Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace is a football, rugby and athletics stadium in Phokeng near Rustenburg, South Africa It was built and is managed by the Royal Bafokeng Nation.. It is used as the home stadium for Premier Soccer League club Platinum Stars... , South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... |
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2010 World Cup 2010 FIFA World Cup The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010... |
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| 23. | 26 June 2010 | Royal Bafokeng Stadium Royal Bafokeng Stadium The Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace is a football, rugby and athletics stadium in Phokeng near Rustenburg, South Africa It was built and is managed by the Royal Bafokeng Nation.. It is used as the home stadium for Premier Soccer League club Platinum Stars... , South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... |
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2010 World Cup 2010 FIFA World Cup The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010... |
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| 24. | 29 March 2011 | Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007... , London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
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Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
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| 25. | 7 June 2011 | Jeonju World Cup Stadium Jeonju World Cup Stadium Jeonju World Cup Stadium, nicknamed "Fort Jeonju", is a football stadium in the South Korean city of Jeonju. It is the home of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. The stadium's capacity is 43,348. The final of 2011 AFC Champions League was held at this stadium.... , South Korea South Korea The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south... |
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Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
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| 26. | 2 September 2011 | Accra Sports Stadium Accra Sports Stadium Accra Sports Stadium is a multi-use, 40,000 all-seater stadium in Accra, Ghana, mostly used for association football matches. Originally known as the Accra Sports Stadium, the stadium was renamed after Ohene Djan, the country's first Director of Sports, in 2004... , Ghana Ghana Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south... |
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2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
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| 27. | 8 October 2011 | Khartoum Stadium Khartoum Stadium Khartoum Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Khartoum, Sudan. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium has a capacity of 23,000 people.... , Khartoum Khartoum Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"... |
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2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
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| Correct as of 8 October 2011 | |||||||||||
Personal life
Gyan's brother, Baffour Gyan, currently plays in GhanaGhana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
for Asante Kotoko
Asante Kotoko
Asante Kotoko Football Club, also known as Asante Kotoko, is one of the biggest and most successful football clubs in Ghana as well as being one of the more successful teams in Africa, having won twenty national league titles. They have also twice been champions of Africa. The club's home ground is...
.
In summer 2010, Gyan recorded and released a Ghanaian Hiplife
Hiplife
Hiplife is a Ghanaian musical style which fuses highlife and hip hop. It is also influenced by dancehall and reggae. Recorded in Ghanaian languages such as Twi, Ewe and Ga, hiplife is rapidly gaining popularity throughout West Africa and abroad, especially in the United Kingdom, United States,...
song with Castro The Destroyer, where he features under the alias 'Baby Jet'. The song is entitled "African Girls" and was launched unto the Ghanaian screens despite the fact that Gyan's music was interfering with his football career. The video shows his famous 'Asamoah Gyan Dance' celebration which he demonstrated at the 2010 World Cup and at Sunderland. The song won an award at the Ghana Music awards in 2011.
He also joined Castro for another duo "Do Da Dance".
Titles and honours
Ghana- Africa Cup of Nations Silver medal: 2010
- Africa Cup of Nations Bronze medal: 2008
Individual
- 2010 Africa Cup of Nations Best XI
- Man of the MatchMan of the matchIn sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...
in 2010 World Cup (2): vs. Australia, vs. Serbia - FIFA Ballon d'OrFIFA Ballon d'OrThe FIFA Ballon d'Or is an association football award given annually to the player who is considered to have performed the best in the previous season...
: Shortlist Nominee (Top 23 players in the World) - BBC African Footballer of the YearBBC African Footballer of the YearThe BBC African Footballer of the Year is an annual award given to the best African footballer of the year as voted by the BBC radio listeners.-Winners:-External links:******...
:2010
External links
- Asamoah Gyan career stats SoccerbaseRacing PostThe Racing Post is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing and sports betting newspaper, appearing in print form and online.From 30 May 2011 - 3 July 2011 it had a circulation of 56,507.-History:...
- Serie A 2006/07 – Gyan ASAMOAH Gazzetta dello Sport
- Asamoah Gyan profile ESPN Soccernet
- Premier League profile