- Gyan was surprised while analysing World Cup matches on TV
- The Ghana legend received a green and white cake for his birthday
- Black Stars leading scorer turned 37
WHAT HAPPENED? Gyan, who is working as a pundit on World Cup games for SuperSport TV, was in the studio analysing the matches before he was brought a white and green cake that had an image of him celebrating a goal at a past World Cup.
The outlet then went on to show career highlights of Gyan, including his goals at the 2006 and 2010 tournaments.
WHAT DID THEY SAY? “We have a surprise for you because you slipped in here today not telling anyone it is your birthday and yet we’re here to celebrate you. Africa’s record goal scorer at the Fifa World Cup,” said the presenter Julia Stuart, to which Gyan replied: “That was a good surprise.”
Gyan was then taken aback by the green cake. “It’s the Nigerian flag,” he said before he was asked what advice he has for young players at the 2022 World Cup.
“World Cup is every footballer’s dream to be there. It’s an amazing feeling so all those who have never been there, it should be a motivation for them because we have a lot of young players in the World Cup right now who are also performing,” the 37-year-old replied.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Gyan is Africa’s leading scorer at the World Cup with six goals after representing Ghana in three tournaments (2006, 2010 and 2014).
He was Ghana’s poster boy at the 2010 tournament in South Africa where he scored three of his country’s four as the Black Stars reached the quarter-finals and came close to sealing a semi-final ticket only for Gyan to miss an extra-time penalty against Uruguay.
The former Sunderland and Udinese striker is also Ghana’s leading scorer with 51 goals managed in 109 games and completed his coaching badges this month, earning a Uefa-B License from the FA Wales coaching institution.
WHAT’S MORE? Gyan, who is popularly known as Baby Jet in Ghana, shared how his son is also claiming rights to the nickname. “My son called me one day and asked who is the Baby Jet right now?”
WHAT’S NEXT? Gyan will be in the studio when the Black Stars open their World Cup campaign against Portugal on Thursday.
