Former Ghana captain, Asamoah Gyan has admitted that the Black Stars faced a daunting task against Brazil at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, insisting the South American giants were overwhelming favourites despite Ghana’s historic run to the Round of 16.
Speaking in an interview with 3sports, Gyan said the Black Stars had already achieved something extraordinary by progressing from a difficult group that included Italy, the Czech Republic and the United States.
“For me personally, my heart was at peace because everybody ruled Ghana out before the tournament,” Gyan said.
He described Ghana’s qualification to the knockout stage as a dream fulfilled and a landmark moment for African football.
“There are those who say we didn’t approach the Brazil game with the same intensity because we were already happy to qualify, but if everybody is honest, every Ghanaian was happy,” he explained.
Gyan rejected suggestions that the team underestimated Brazil, stressing that the five-time world champions possessed far greater experience and quality at the time.
“It wasn’t even a 50-50 game if we are honest. They had that golden generation Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Adriano and the rest,” he stated.
Despite the odds, the former striker believes Ghana still competed admirably against the eventual quarter-finalists and could even have altered the course of the match with an early goal.
“We played really well. When they scored the first goal, John Mensah nearly equalised and Dida made a miraculous save. That could have changed the game.”
“That was when I realised the world had seen my talent and quality,” he said.