Former Black Stars striker Asamoah Gyan has made a candid admission regarding his actions during Ghana’s match against Brazil in the 2006 World Cup, revealing that he intentionally dived in an attempt to deceive the referee and win a penalty.
During Ghana’s debut appearance on the global stage, they faced the formidable challenge of playing against Brazil, the defending champions at the time.
Following a defeat to eventual champions Italy, in the opening game Ghana bounced back remarkably thanks to Gyan’s heroics alongside his teammates. He scored the fastest goal of the tournament after one minute, eight seconds against the Czech Republic, who were second-ranked in the world at the time. Ghana secured a 2-0 victory in that match, with another goal coming from Sulley Muntari.
They further solidified their position with a come-from-behind victory over the United States of America to secure Ghana’s place in the knockout phase,
However, Brazil proved tough in the round of 16 for Ghana compelling Gyan to resort to deceit in a bid to secure an advantage for his team against the formidable Brazilian side.
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Reflecting on the incident, Gyan admitted to intentionally diving in an effort to draw a penalty but was subsequently shown a red card for his actions.
“I intentionally dived seeking a penalty against Brazil and got red-carded. I saw the defender attempting a tackle so I threw my foot in but he was quick to withdraw,” Gyan admitted in an interview with Onua Maakye on Monday, April 15, 2024.
Despite his attempt to manipulate the situation, Ghana suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Brazil, marking their exit from the tournament.
However, the 2006 World Cup proved to be a significant turning point for Gyan, as it marked the beginning of his remarkable journey in international football. Despite the setback against Brazil, Gyan went on to achieve remarkable success, scoring in nine consecutive tournaments for Ghana, a feat surpassed only by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Recalling his only goal of the 2006 World Cup, Gyan revealed that he had a premonition of his achievement and even shared his prophecy with his brother before the match.
“I prophesied my first World Cup goal. I told my brother [Baffour] in our hotel room when he was leaving for Ghana that I feel I will score. So, I told him to tell Ghanaians I will score. I saw it [before the game]”
Since retiring from professional football in June 2023, Gyan has shifted his focus to off-field endeavours. He has initiated the All Regional Games project, aimed at identifying and nurturing young talents across various sports beyond football.
Gyan reveals the @allregionalgame idea started 10 years ago #3SportsGH pic.twitter.com/owDGimHkea
— #3Sports (@3SportsGh) April 15, 2024