Sunderland icon Asamoah Gyan has successfully rebuilt a multi-million pound business empire in Ghana after losing his entire footballing fortune and nearly quitting the game early due to intense fan hostility.
Former Sunderland striker and Ghana’s all-time leading goalscorer, Asamoah Gyan, has undergone a remarkable financial and personal transformation after once plummeting from Premier League stardom to near-bankruptcy.
Despite earning millions during a prolific career that included high-paying stints at Al-Ain and Shanghai SIPG, Gyan revealed in 2018 that his bank account had dwindled to just £600 following a period of extravagant spending and a costly legal annulment.
This financial rock bottom stood in stark contrast to his early career, which was defined by both immense talent and extreme pressure, including a moment during the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations where he nearly quit the national team due to vitriolic fan abuse.
Reflecting on that period, Gyan noted, “I felt like the criticism was unfair to me because they criticised me—and I think it was personal—in a game that we won.”
His mother, Cecilia Love Amoaka, defended him at the time, stating, “Ghanaians are ungrateful. My son is only young but has done something good for the nation, so he should not be treated this way.”
Now 40 and retired from professional football, Gyan has successfully rebuilt a £17 million empire through a diversified business portfolio in Accra, which includes a fleet of petrol stations, a bus company with over 30 vehicles, and various branded commodities.
Despite his business success, his legacy remains inextricably linked to the “Baby Jet” persona that made him a fan favorite on Wearside and a national icon who netted 51 goals for the Black Stars.