Asamoah Gyan’s true feelings on Luis Suarez’s World Cup handball speak volumes
Former Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan was left frustrated after Luis Suarez was sent off for handball on the goal-line to deny a certain Ghana winner in the 2010 World Cup quarter-finals
Former Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan says he has forgiven Luis Suarez for the infamous goal-line handball that cost his nation a place in the World Cup semi-finals. Uruguay forward Suarez was dismissed for deliberately blocking a Dominic Adiyiah shot in the dying moments of their quarter-final clash at the 2010 tournament, but Gyan’s resulting penalty struck the crossbar.
Uruguay ultimately progressed on penalties, crushing Ghanaian dreams. Some fans still haven’t forgiven Suarez for that moment but Gyan harbours no ill will towards his rival.
The incident resurfaced in people’s minds on Sunday evening when the Africa Cup of Nations final also featured a dramatic last-gasp spot-kick miss. Brahim Diaz took a penalty for Morocco in the final minute of normal time after being brought down by Senegal defender El Hadji Malick Diouf but sent a panenka penalty straight into the hands of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, with Senegal going on to secure victory in extra-time.
Gyan, who spent time in the Premier League with Sunderland and played for more than a decade after the 2010 World Cup drama, discussed the matter on Rio Ferdinand Presents. Rather than criticising Suarez, he expressed understanding for his rival’s behaviour.
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“I always say I would have done the same if I was Suarez because he did it to save his country,” Gyan said. “Although the ball was going in, it was just a cheat code, but at the end of the day we had an opportunity and we didn’t convert it.
“It doesn’t happen most of the time. Sometimes it happens once in a blue moon. So I always say if I was Suarez seeing the ball going to the net at that crucial moment… he did it to save his country, you know. So I forgive him. I forgive him for that.”
Following the handball incident, Suarez was suspended and couldn’t participate in the semi-final. Uruguay were defeated 3-2 by the Netherlands, missing out on a spot in the final, and later lost to Germany in the third-place play-off with the same scoreline.
Ghana and Uruguay crossed paths again in the 2022 World Cup. By then, Gyan had retired from international football, but Suarez remained a part of the Uruguay team.
The match was once again marked by a missed penalty from Ghana, this time by Andre Ayew, whose shot was saved by Sergio Rochet. Uruguay clinched the game thanks to a brace from Giorgian de Arrascaeta but both Ghana and Uruguay were knocked out of the tournament after South Korea triumphed over Portugal in the day’s other Group H match.
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