In 2023, former Ghanaian international Asamoah Gyan faced a challenging period following his retirement from professional football. Once one of the highest-paid players in the world, he found himself with just €734 in his bank account. This dire situation was shared in an interview with GhanaWeb, which was picked up by Spanish newspaper Marca.
The former star of the 2010 World Cup endured tumultuous times post-retirement, particularly after filing for divorce from his wife in 2018, who was accused of infidelity. Subsequently, the court confirmed his paternity of their three children, which he had subjected to DNA tests. This ruling led to a significant financial obligation to be paid to both his children and their mother.
To address his financial responsibilities, Gyan had to part with numerous assets, including his house in the UK, a villa in Accra, his BMW, an Infiniti car, and even a gas station, as reported by Marca. Additionally, the former striker, who went unpaid for several months by his last club, Kayserispor (Turkey), faced financial hardships, as evidenced by his bank statements.
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This dramatic fall from grace echoes the period when Gyan was among the world’s highest-earning footballers, earning as much as €193,000 per week between 2011 and 2015 in the United Arab Emirates, and even €274,000 weekly in China with Shanghai SIPG. During that time, he ranked among the top earners, just behind Neymar, Luis Suárez, and Gareth Bale. However, despite the significant downturn in his financial situation, it is noteworthy that such bankruptcy claims are sometimes leveraged by former football stars to lighten their debt burdens.
Fortunately, Asamoah Gyan has been able to bounce back. According to Marca, the former Udinese player now leads a comfortable life through savvy investments in various sectors, including boxing, tennis, music, noodle distribution, and public transportation.
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Committed to humanitarian efforts, Gyan declared that he would no longer be affiliated with any political party and would continue his work for the benefit of Ghanaian youth. “I have not been fair to the youth and the people of Ghana. From now on, I am affiliated with no political party. I will continue my humanitarian work and help Ghana’s youth in my own way,” he asserted, concluding with, “No politics. God bless our homeland, Ghana. Thank you.”
Thus, after a period of financial turbulence, Asamoah Gyan appears to be on the road to redemption through humanitarian efforts and fruitful investments.
