Former King Faisal Football Club defender Shilla Illiasu has commended ex Black Stars striker Asamoah Gyan for playing out a remarkable football career for Ghana.
He said this in an exclusive interview with Citi Sports in the wake of Gyan formally announcing his retirement from active football as a player.
The 37 year old announced he is stepping away from football after an 18 year playing career that started out with Liberty Professionals in 2003 and ended after the 2020-2021 season with Legon Cities FC. He remained unsigned during this period before the retirement announcement.
Illiasu played with Gyan at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany and had nothing but high praise for the former Sunderland AFC and Stade Rennes striker saying,
“First of all, he has done his best for the country and such a personality deserves a lot of commendations… but I understand him. At a certain level, when injuries start to set in your career there are certain levels you can’t go…I would have hoped certain coordination would have played for him just to use it to climax his retirement”.
Gyan retires as Ghana’s all time top scorer with 51 goals in 109 games and Africa’s top scorer in the history of the FIFA World Cup.