Tag: Ghana Football Association (GFA)

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) is set to hold a match in honour of Ghana’s all-time leading goal scorer and Africa’s highest goal scorer in FIFA World Cup history, Asamoah Gyan, who is affectionately called ‘Baby Jet’.

In a statement shared on GFA’s website on Tuesday, Nov 5, the match will be organised “to celebrate his illustrious career and immense contribution to Ghanaian football”.

The details of the match, GFA noted that they, “ …working with Gyan, will provide further details of the event in due course. The testimonial will serve as a befitting tribute to a player whose name has become synonymous with Ghana’s football history”.

Highlighting some of his contributions to Ghana football, particularly for the Black Stars, Ghana’s senior national team, GFA lauded his “enviable record as Ghana’s all-time top scorer with 51 goals in 109 appearances for the Black Stars. He is also Africa’s highest goal scorer in FIFA World Cup history, having scored six goals across three tournaments: Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, and Brazil 2014.”

In 2012, Gyan was appointed captain, where he succeeded John Mensah. He served in the captaincy capacity until 2019, when he handed over to Andre Dede Ayew ahead of the 2019 AFCON.

During his stint as captain, he led the Black Stars in two FIFA World Cups (2014) and three Africa Cup of Nations (2013, 2015, 2017).

He began his career with Ghana’s Liberty Professionals in 2003, where he stayed for barely a year before leaving for Italy’s Serie A club Udinese that same year. His European journey began with Udinese, where he stayed for five years. Out of the five years, he played for Modena from 2004 to 2006, displaying brilliant form. While at Modena, he notched 15 goals in 53 appearances, cementing his reputation as a solid rising striker.

He later signed with France’s Stade Rennais (Rennes) in 2008. He made a good impact during his two-season stint with the Ligue 1 side, netting 14 goals in 48 appearances.

His performances earned him a move to the English Premier League, where he signed with Sunderland in 2010. Gyan quickly became a fan favourite, scoring 10 goals in 34 appearances over two seasons. His flair, pace, and goal-scoring instincts made him one of the standout African players in the league at the time.

In 2011, Gyan made a high-profile switch to the United Arab Emirates, joining Al Ain initially on loan before making the move permanent. Between 2011 and 2015, he enjoyed a prolific spell, scoring an astonishing 95 goals in 83 games. He was the UAE Pro League top scorer multiple times and became a household name in Middle Eastern football.

After a brief return to the UAE with Al Ahli on loan during the 2016–2017 season, Gyan added 6 goals in 14 appearances to his tally. In between, he had a stint in China with Shanghai SIPG from 2015 to 2017, where he scored 7 goals in 20 appearances, despite battling injuries.

Gyan’s final major club move was to Turkey, where he joined Kayserispor in 2017. Over two seasons, he made 26 appearances and scored 5 goals, bringing his illustrious club career to a close in 2019.

In June 2023, Asamoah Gyan officially announced his retirement from active football during a panel session at the Afreximbank Annual Meetings (AAM2023) held at the Accra International Conference Centre. In an emotional moment, Gyan said:

“It is time… that voice has been clear in my ears, and I have succumbed to it. It is time to hang the jersey and boots in glory as I retire officially from active football.”

After he retired from official football, Gyana has carved a reputation as one of the former players that has usually been available for the current crop of players.

He often joins the national team camp to uplift spirits, especially during major tournaments like AFCON and World Cup qualifiers, where he leads Gyama sessions and offers technical advice to some of the players, including Antoine Semenyo and Mohammed Kudus.

“Through his dazzling performances, leadership, and charisma, Asamoah Gyan has left an indelible mark on Ghanaian and African football. The upcoming testimonial promises to be a memorable occasion to honour his legendary achievements and celebrate a career that inspired millions across the continent,” GFA added.

Meanwhile, Ghana sealed their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Comoros in their final Group I qualifier at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, October 12, marking the country’s fifth appearance at football’s biggest tournament.

Following this, several foreign-born players, including Hudson Oddoi, Eddie Nketiah, Francis Amuzu and other players, have expressed their readiness to switch their allegiance from their current countries to Ghana to represent at the global tournament in 2025.

Speaking on the issue and matters arising concerning it, the President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku, during an interview with 3Sports, explicitly stated that Ghana will not make room for just talent but genuine commitment, respect and love for Ghana.

Referring to his son, who was born and raised in the UK, the GFA President noted that his outfit has no intention to snub any talent, but these players must demonstrate they understand their roots and are committed to making a difference in the team.

“To be honest, we treat these matters on a case-by-case basis. I often use my own son, Kurt Junior, as an example,” Okraku explained.

“He was born and schooled in England, and if he were as talented as Abedi Pele, I wouldn’t deny him the chance to play for Ghana just because he was born abroad. But if he wants to represent Ghana, he must show that he loves, respects, and is committed to Ghana. Thankfully, he visits Ghana every year, so he understands his roots.”

He also stressed that GFA will not entertain players who are suddenly showing interest in representing Ghana just because the squad made it to the tournament, adding that players who previously turned down opportunities to represent the Black Stars would not automatically be reconsidered.

“I don’t want mercenaries coming to Ghana. I don’t want players jumping on board just because we’ve qualified for the Mundial. I want players who love Ghana, who play from the heart, with passion, and are proud to represent the nation in every competition.”

“I’ve been very categorical; if you refused us in the past or showed disrespect to Ghana, I won’t open the door to you just because we’ve made it to the World Cup.

“I don’t care about what the coach wants in that regard. You must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you want to wear the national colours, that you’re proud to be Ghanaian, and that you’re fully committed to the flag,” he added.

The Black Stars are scheduled to learn their group opponents for the 2026 World Cup on December 5.

His remarks about the call-up come to affirm the Black Stars head coach, Otto Addo’s, during a media engagement days ago.

Speaking during an interview with 3Sports, which was aired on Tuesday, October 15, Otto Addo explicitly stated that players who have ignored their calls despite continuous efforts from the national team’s technical staff since 2021 should not expect any call-up now that the Black Stars have secured their ticket to the World Cup.

“We will look at each case one by one. There are players I have been chasing since 2021, who didn’t reply to our calls or want to come. It’s a different thing if we haven’t approached you and now you want to come. But if we have been approaching you all the way and you said no, and now we are at the World Cup, so you want to come, that’s a different matter,” Addo said.

His remarks follow reports that Callum Hudson-Odoi and Eddie Nketiah are considering switching allegiance to play for Ghana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.