Black Stars striker Asamoah Gyan might feel disappointed after missing out on his former teammate Michael Essien’s team of the decade.
As 2019 comes to a close, Essien was asked by BBC to pick his best 11 African players of the decade.
The last 10 years saw significant moments for African football, commencing with the World Cup being hosted on the continent for the first time in its history, in South Africa in 2010.
The decade ended with the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations being held in June and July for the first time instead of its traditional January to February slot.
Essien’s team has Nigerian Vincent Enyeama. The defenders are Cameroon’s Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Ivorian Kolo Toure, Medhi Benatia and Kalidou Koulibaly of Morocco and Senegal respectively.
In midfield, Essien named himself with support from Ivorian Yaya Toure, Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane of Senegal.
Essien’s former Chelsea teammate and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba and Cameroonian great Samuel Eto’o are the two attackers.
But following the publication, many Ghanaians have wondered how Asamoah Gyan missed out.
They believe the 33-year-old did enough to merit a place. A week ago, SuperSport named their team of the decade which featured Asamoah Gyan.
Africa has produced some of great player in the past 10 years that have dominated European shores.
Here’s our African team of the Decade. Who would you replace from this side?#SSMoments pic.twitter.com/htuQqAMbXK
— SuperSport ? (@SuperSportTV) December 27, 2019
Gyan enjoyed a wonderful decade starting with the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations where his four goals helped Ghana reached its first final in 20 years.
He followed that up with three goals in the World Cup as Ghana finished in the last eight.
Gyan set the record as African player with most goals in the history of the World Cup in 2014. He also became Ghana’s all-time leading scorer in 2017.
At club level, Gyan scored 128 goals in 187 appearances for six different teams.
He is currently plying his trade in India for NorthEast United.
