Asamoah Gyan Announces International Retirement

Asamoah Gyan has announced his retirement from international football after 16-year career with the Ghana national team.

The Kayserispor forward, who made his debut in November 2003 against Somalia, has earned 106 caps for his country, scoring 51 goals.

He has opted to retire upon consultation with his family and team.

“My mother once told me, “you cannot tout a decision you did not take as betrayal, because you have to expect it” I still do not understand that statement anyway,” Gyan wrote in a statement.

“I cannot pretend to be happy. I would rather hurt myself emotionally and psychologically, over the years I served with an open heart and have given my all to the best of my ability in my quest to serving our great nation, Ghana. I have represented the proud colours of our country in 10 major tournaments from the Olympics, World Cups and in African Nations Cups with different coaches.

“In all, I would say the last years have been the proudest moments in my career as a captain under the managerial leadership of coach Akwasi Appiah. I stood solidly behind my coach during the difficult times in Brazil and in some cases supported the endeavours of the team financially when the need arose to make sure his tenure and my captaincy would not suffer challenges and to ride with the assertion, ” A Ghanaian coach can do it.”