Gyan still hurting from Suarez’s handball in 2010 World Cup

Former Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan says he is still hurting from Luis Suarez’s handball incident in the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa. 

However, Gyan reckons that he holds no grudge against the Uruguayan international. 

The ex-Barcelona frontman, Suarez blatantly saved a shot with his hands to stop the ball going into the net, a goal that would have ensured that the Black Stars cruise to the semifinals of the World Cup back then. 

Suarez was then sent to take an early shower for deliberately preventing the ball with hands in the World Cup quarterfinal clash, and a penalty was given to Ghana which Gyan failed to convert. 

On a fascinating note, Gyan divulged that he would have done the same for his nation if the roles had been reversed.

The game ended 4-2 on penalties in favour of Uruguay after 120 tiresome minutes following 1-all draw in regulation time.

GYAN ON SUAREZ’S HANDBALL INCIDENT… 

“I’m a football player and I do understand the game. Back home, everybody who watched the game, they dislike him,” Gyan said in an interview with talkSPORT. 

“I always say if I was Suarez I would have done the same thing to save my country. He’s a hero there.

“Although people see him as a cheat, he did what he had to do to get his country to the semi-final.

“People do hate him, but I’m in the game as well. He did what he had to do to get his country to the semi-final.

“It has been [more than] 10 years now and it still sticks in my mind. It is a pain that I have to live with.”

GYAN THE PENALTY TAKER… 

The former Sunderland man went on to reveal how it was his responsibility to take spot kicks for his country at the time. 

“I was the first penalty taker in the team at that time. Any penalty, I was responsible for,” he added. 

“Before that game, against Serbia, I scored 1-0 through a penalty. Second game against Australia a penalty.

“Third game I didn’t score and then I scored against the USA. I had all the confidence in the world.

“Going in, there wasn’t any pressure at all. What I was surprised at was my penalty going that high. Normally my penalty doesn’t go that high.”

Now, the focus is in Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup set to start from 20  November – 18 December 2022.