Former Black Stars captain, Asamoah Gyan, has criticised his teammates for abandoning him after he missed a crucial penalty during the quarter-final clash against Uruguay at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Gyan made headlines for the wrong reasons when he failed to convert a last-minute penalty that could have secured the team’s historic spot in the semifinals.
The miss, led to widespread criticism and backlash, leaving Gyan to navigate the challenging aftermath on his own.
Speaking during an Instagram Live session, Ghana’s all-time leading goalscorer shared his frustrations, revealing that his teammates distanced themselves from him during one of the most difficult periods of his career.
Gyan clarified that as the designated penalty taker, he took responsibility for the moment and denied any suggestions that he intentionally missed.
Although he later scored during the penalty shootout, the emotional toll was evident as he recounted the incident.
Gyan expressed disappointment that his teammates, who were aware of the circumstances, did not publicly defend him amid the intense criticism.
Now 39 years old, Gyan retired from professional football in 2023 after a storied career that saw him become the highest-scoring African in World Cup history with six goals.
He also remains Ghana’s all-time top scorer with 51 goals.