Former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan has opened up once again about the most emotional moment of his football career — Ghana’s dramatic World Cup quarterfinal clash with Uruguay in 2010.

In a candid reflection, Gyan admitted that the pain of that match still lingers, not because of his infamous missed penalty in extra time, but because of what unfolded after the final whistle.

“If I could play one more game, it would be against Uruguay,” Gyan said. “My most emotional moment on the pitch was when the final whistle went against Uruguay. Not when I missed the penalty — after the penalty shootout.”

The match remains one of the most talked-about in World Cup history. After a last-minute goal-bound header was blocked by Luis Suárez’s hand, Gyan stepped up to take the penalty that would have sent Ghana into the semifinals — a first for any African nation. The ball struck the crossbar, and the match went to penalties, where Uruguay emerged victorious.

While the missed penalty has long been a symbol of heartbreak for Ghanaians, Gyan revealed that the real devastation hit after the shootout ended — when the weight of the loss fully set in.

“It wasn’t just about me. It was about a whole continent. We were so close, and to lose it like that… it still hurts.”

Despite that painful night in Johannesburg, Gyan’s legacy as Ghana’s all-time top scorer and one of Africa’s greatest forwards remains intact. But the Uruguay game continues to be the one chapter he wishes he could rewrite — not to erase the miss, but to change the ending.

For Gyan, the emotional scars of that match serve as a reminder of how close Ghana came to making history — and how cruel football can be.