Black Stars Team Manager, Ameenu Shardow, believes the Ghana Football Association’s decision to honour Asamoah Gyan with a testimonial match will motivate other players to give their all for the national team.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) recently confirmed plans to host a special match celebrating the achievements of Gyan, who remains one of the country’s most iconic football figures.
The fixture, according to the GFA, will honour his “illustrious and immense contribution” to Ghanaian football, with details of the date and venue to be announced soon.
“It [also] serves as a sign of a nation that appreciates its heroes,” Shardow said in an interview with JoySports.
“And it encourages other players to also give off their best because they know, at the end of the day, they will be well appreciated. This is long overdue and I am very happy that finally, the GFA is taking the lead into getting these things done and not leaving it into the hands of private individuals.”
Gyan, who officially retired in 2023 after two years away from active football, is Ghana’s all-time top scorer with 51 goals in 109 appearances.
He is also Africa’s leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history, having netted six times across three tournaments – Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, and Brazil 2014.
The 37-year-old began his professional career with Liberty Professionals before earning moves abroad to Udinese, Rennes, Sunderland, and Al Ain, where he enjoyed his most prolific spell.
His career later took him to Al Ahli, Shanghai SIPG, Kayserispor, and eventually Legon Cities FC, where he ended his playing journey.
