Ghana: Asamoah Gyan Opens Up On Depression Struggles Following Ambassadorial Appointment

Former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan has revealed that he battled depression about a year ago as he was officially outdoored as Brand Ambassador for Ghana's national teams and colts football.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony on the yesterday, May 20, 2026 in Accra , Gyan described the occasion as emotional and admitted he nearly broke down in tears while addressing guests.

In his new role, the former striker is expected to help promote Ghana's national teams, support grassroots and colts football development, inspire young talents and help project a positive image of Ghana football locally and internationally.

According to him, he went through personal difficulties that affected him mentally and forced him to stay away from social media for some time.

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Gyan disclosed that his situation changed after a conversation with Kurt Okraku, President of the Ghana Football Association.

He said Kurt Okraku encouraged him not to give up because there was still a lot of work to be done for Ghana football, especially at the grassroots level.

"He told me we have a lot of things to do when it comes to grassroots football and that I have been an inspiration to the youth and Ghana," Gyan stated.

The former Sunderland striker explained that the encouragement helped him regain focus and motivated him to continue contributing to football development in the country.

Gyan also paid tribute to his former coach, Mr. J.E Sarpong affectionately called Shakpiru, who discovered his talent during his days at Accra Academy.

He described himself as a product of colts football and stressed the need to revive grassroots football in Ghana.

The former striker recalled playing colts football alongside former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah and several players from his generation.

According to Gyan, the ambassadorial role was first proposed to him about a year ago because of his contribution to Ghana football and his connection to grassroots development.

"As I stand here tonight, I'm ready," he said.

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The event was attended by football administrators, former players and other stakeholders in Ghana football.

Read the original article on Ghanaian Times.

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