Asamoah Gyan mourns death of father with heartfelt tribute

Ghana football legend Asamoah Gyan has announced the death of his father, George Gyan Baffour Mensah, sharing an emotional tribute that has drawn an outpouring of condolences from across the football world. The former Black Stars captain confirmed the heartbreaking news through a social media post on Friday, expressing gratitude for the role his father played throughout his life and career.

"I'm happy you saw my greatness, Da. Thank you for taking care of us. You will forever be in our hearts. R.I.P. (ASASE J)." The touching message quickly resonated with fans, former teammates, football administrators and well-wishers, many of whom flooded social media with messages of support for Gyan and his family during their time of grief.

George Gyan Baffour Mensah was widely regarded as one of the key figures behind Asamoah Gyan's journey from a talented youngster in Accra to becoming one of Africa's greatest footballers.

Although he largely stayed away from the spotlight, he was often recognised as a constant source of encouragement throughout his son's illustrious career. Gyan remains Ghana's all-time leading scorer with 51 international goals and is Africa's highest-scoring player in FIFA World Cup history with six goals.

Over a career spanning more than two decades, he represented clubs in Ghana, Italy, France, England, the United Arab Emirates, China, India and Turkey, while captaining the Black Stars at multiple Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and FIFA World Cups.

He has frequently spoken about the importance of family in his life, making his tribute to his late father particularly poignant.

His message reflected not only the pain of losing a parent but also appreciation that his father lived to witness the remarkable heights he reached in football.

The Gyan family is expected to announce funeral arrangements in the coming days as tributes continue to pour in from Ghana and beyond.