In a candid and emotional reflection, Ghanaian football legend Asamoah Gyan has addressed the lingering controversy surrounding his penalty miss against Uruguay in the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals.
Gyan, who was Ghana’s first-choice penalty taker at the time, has vehemently denied suggestions that he intentionally missed the penalty, labeling such claims as “cowardly” and “uneducated.”
“When the penalty miss happened, I was abused and called names because some people said I should have left it for someone else,” Gyan recounted. “Why didn’t they step up to take it? They were afraid. Cowards. I will say it—they are cowards.”
Gyan expressed frustration that his teammates and others in the football community failed to publicly defend him against the unfair criticism and speculation. “How could anyone suggest that I missed the penalty against Uruguay on purpose? For what reason exactly? I was Ghana’s first-choice penalty taker. Why would you go behind my back and talk about me missing the penalty?”
The Ghanaian football icon emphasized the need to educate fans and others who make uninformed and hurtful comments. “The fans can say what they want, but sometimes we need to educate them. Yet, nobody spoke up for me.”
Gyan’s penalty miss against Uruguay occurred in the 121st minute of the match, with the score tied at 1-1. The miss ultimately led to Ghana’s elimination from the tournament, as Uruguay won the subsequent penalty shootout.
