Legend Dan Owusu Challenges Asamoah Gyan’s Ghana All-Time Top Scorer Honour
- A Ghana football icon has questioned Ghana football's documentation and record keeping
- The ex-Ghana international and GPL great believes strikers of the old generation scored more goals
- Former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan is Ghana's verified all-time leading goal-scorer
Asamoah Gyan has long been hailed as Ghana’s greatest striker, holding the prestigious record as the country's all-time top scorer. But recently, a spirited debate has emerged within Ghanaian football.
Former Ghana international Sam Johnson, known for his time at Turkish club Fenerbahce, firmly placed Gyan at the top of the list, claiming him to be Ghana’s greatest striker of all time.
Source: Getty Images
Sam Johnson rates Asamoah Gyan high
However, Ghanaian football legend Dan Owusu has questioned this assertion, bringing to light other historical figures like Edward Acquah, Wilberforce Mfum, and Kwasi Owusu, whose records may be overlooked due to a lack of documented statistics.
When Sam Johnson, a former Black Star and Fenerbahce player, weighed in on the matter, he was unequivocal in his admiration for Asamoah Gyan.
For Johnson, Gyan’s contribution to Ghanaian football is unmatched, and his place as the national team's top scorer is a testament to his exceptional skill and consistency on the pitch.
Gyan, who was recently ranted about a myriad of issues, amassed an impressive 51 goals in 109 appearances for Ghana, and has become a symbol of the country’s footballing pride.
His most iconic moment came in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where his performances propelled Ghana to the quarterfinals, just one step away from becoming the first African team to reach the semifinals of a World Cup.
Gyan’s powerful shots, quick footwork, and ability to find the back of the net in clutch moments helped him carve out a reputation as a deadly striker with impressive stats.
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Burnt Ghana football archives
In contrast to Sam Johnson’s high praise for Gyan, Dan Owusu, a celebrated former Ghana international, who holds the joint-record of most Ghana Premier League top scorer awards, offers a more traditional view on Ghana’s greatest strikers.
While the Bofoakwa Tano legend does not dispute Gyan's remarkable achievements, he contests the idea that Gyan is the definitive greatest of all time just for the sake of his 51 goals for the country.
Owusu draws attention to a trio of Ghanaian strikers from the past, Edward Acquah, Wilberforce Mfum, and Kwasi Owusu, whom he argues had greater numbers.
Dan Owusu, in a exclusive chat with YEN.com.gh's Gariba Raubil, hailed Gyan's international career while offering some insightful narratives.
''Asamoah Gyan is definitely one of the greatest strikers of Ghana football. We all know his qualities as a striker and a footballer. He scored some really amazing goals for us. But if Sam Johnson says Gyan is the greatest striker for Ghana of all time for his 51 international goals, then that is where I will disagree a bit,'' Dan Owusu said.
According to the legend, these strikers are often overshadowed by modern football's focus on statistics and the influence of players like Gyan.
He argues that the historical greatness of Acquah, Mfum, and Kwasi Owusu is often underestimated due to a lack of recorded data on their goal-scoring feats for the national team after the Ghana football Archives was burnt some years ago.
''You know Edward Acquah, Kwasi Owusu, Wilberforce Mfum, Aggrey Fynn and the likes, they scored lots of goals for Ghana. I am sure some of them might have scored more than 50 goals, but because Ghana's Archives in Accra was burnt sometime ago, most of the key Ghana football records were lost. I did not play with these players I mentioned, but I saw them play growing up, and I can tell you they were goal-scorers.'' Owusu added.
The old generation of Ghana strikers
Edward Acquah was known for his deadly finishing and consistent goal-scoring ability for both his club and country.
A prominent figure during the 1960s and 1970s when Ghana won its first AFCON titles, Acquah had a distinguished international career.
However, records from this era are not as meticulously documented as they are today, leading many to overlook Acquah’s remarkable goal tally for the Black Stars.
Source: Getty Images
Similarly, Wilberforce Mfum and Kwasi Owusu were highly regarded during their playing days in the 1960s and 1970s. Mfum’s ability to operate as both a winger and forward made him a dynamic threat in attack.
He contributed significantly to Ghana’s footballing success, both at the national and club levels, with his dazzling dribbling skills, intelligence as well as his matchless shooting power.
Kwasi Owusu commonly known as Powerhouse, often considered one of Ghana’s most natural goal-scorers, was a prolific player in the 1970s for Bofoakwa Tano and the Black Stars, yet his records have faded from popular memory.
In a 1970 AFCON qualifying match against Niger, Ghana won 6-0 on August 17, 1969, with Kwasi Owusu netting five of them, all being headers.
Dan Owusu’s argument revolves around the notion that football history should be appreciated in its entirety, with a proper understanding of the context of the era in which these players played.
“Gyan has been great, no doubt, but there were strikers before him who laid the foundation for his success, and their contributions must not be forgotten. These strikers scored goals and won trophies for Ghana too, so how can Asamoah Gyan be regarded as Ghana's greatest striker of all time?" he quizzed.
Owusu’s observation about the lack of detailed records is a valid point. Many of the earlier strikers who achieved greatness for Ghana, like Acquah, Mfum, and Kwasi Owusu, played at a time when record-keeping was not as systematic and comprehensive as it is today.
With limited access to digital archives and a lack of consistency in reporting, the full extent of their goal-scoring feats may have been lost to history.
Dan Owusu backs Mohammed Kudus
YEN.com.gh earlier reported Dan Owusu's support for Mohammed Kudus to reach greater levels in Europe while offering some valuable advice.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
