Former Black Stars striker Asamoah Gyan has revealed that the toughest pressure he experienced while playing for Ghana did not come against Africa’s or the world’s elite teams, but rather in matches where the Black Stars were heavy favourites.

Gyan, one of Ghana’s greatest footballers, first rose to global prominence at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, where his goals announced him on the world stage.

He later became Africa’s all-time leading World Cup goalscorer and Ghana’s highest scorer in international football.

Speaking in a recent interview with former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, the ex-Ghana captain explained that representing the national team always came with expectation, but the mental strain was greatest when Ghana faced supposedly weaker opponents.

“There was always pressure playing for Ghana,” Gyan said.

“Where I felt it most was playing against the minnows, with no disrespect to them. When you play teams you are statistically better than, they have nothing to lose, but we have everything to lose. That is when I really felt the pressure. Against the big teams, I didn’t feel it as much.”

Gyan officially retired from professional football in June 2023, bringing the curtain down on a decorated career that left a lasting legacy in Ghanaian and African football history.