Ghana football legend Asamoah Gyan says he will leave it to Ghanaians to decide whether he deserves to be regarded as a legend following his retirement from the sport.
The former Sunderland and Al Ain striker, who is Ghana’s all-time leading scorer and Africa’s highest-scoring player in FIFA World Cup history, believes public perception of his contribution to the Black Stars has changed over time.
Speaking on Kenya’s Sports Garage Show, the former Black Stars captain admitted that he faced criticism during his playing career but believes many fans now appreciate his achievements.
“Right now, I leave it for the fans, because I’m retired now, so they have to decide whether I made it or not,” he said.
Gyan explained that some supporters were critical of him while he was still active, but their views changed after he ended his career.
“Because the time when I was playing, of course there were people who didn’t like me. They didn’t even want to see me on the field. But now that I’m home, that I’m done, I’m retired, they understand the kind of person I was,” he added.
Despite his impressive record, Gyan maintained that the decision to label him a legend belongs to the fans who followed his career.
“It’s for the fans to decide,” he said.
Gyan enjoyed a remarkable international career spanning more than 15 years, featuring in seven Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and three FIFA World Cups.
He remains the only African male player to have scored in three different editions of the FIFA World Cup.
