For Asamoah Gyan, the name “Uruguay” is more than just a footballing opponent — it’s a symbol of unfinished business, a haunting chapter that forever lingers in the heart of African football history.
In 2010, under the floodlights of Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium, Ghana stood on the cusp of making history. The Black Stars were seconds away from becoming the first African nation to reach a FIFA World Cup semi-final. All they needed was a goal — and Asamoah Gyan, Ghana’s trusted talisman, had the chance to deliver it.
Uruguay’s Luis Suárez had deliberately handled the ball on the goal line in the dying moments of extra time, earning a red card and giving Ghana a last-minute penalty. With the hopes of an entire continent on his shoulders, Gyan stepped up — as he had done twice before in the tournament, scoring from the spot against Serbia and Australia.
But this time, fate had other plans. Gyan’s penalty thundered off the crossbar and flew into the night sky, silencing millions across Africa. Ghana would go on to lose the ensuing penalty shootout, and Uruguay advanced to the semi-finals, ultimately finishing fourth behind Spain, the Netherlands, and Germany.
That moment, Gyan has since admitted, still lives with him.
In 2022 — twelve years after that unforgettable night — Ghana were handed a rare chance at redemption. Drawn once again against Uruguay in the group stage of the World Cup in Qatar, hopes were high for poetic justice. But the Black Stars stumbled, falling to a 2-0 defeat that closed another chapter without retribution.
Reflecting on the heartbreak years later during an interview on TV3’s NewDay, Gyan laid bare the depth of his emotions:
“If I could play one more game, it would be against Uruguay,” he confessed.
“My most emotional moment on the pitch was when the final whistle went against Uruguay. Not when I missed the penalty — after the penalty shootout.”
That missed opportunity didn’t define his entire career, though. Asamoah Gyan retired from international football in 2019, leaving behind a remarkable legacy. With 51 goals in 109 appearances, he remains Ghana’s all-time leading scorer. In 2023, he officially called time on a professional career that spanned two decades, across clubs in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East — a journey marked by individual brilliance and unforgettable moments.
Yet, for many — including Gyan himself — that one night in Johannesburg remains the most poignant “what if” in African football history.
