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Former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan has singled out Italian football legend Fabio Cannavaro as the most formidable opponent he encountered during his illustrious career.
Gyan recalled how he faced the Azzurri during the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, where Ghana made their first appearance on the world stage.
Despite Gyan’s presence on the Italian football scene at the time, the match proved challenging for him and his inexperienced teammates.
Italy cruised to a 2-0 victory with goals from Andrea Pirlo and Vincenzo Iaquinta, and ultimately secured the World Cup title by defeating France in the final.
Reflecting on his clash with Cannavaro, Gyan commented: “Italy was the toughest opponent I faced as a Black Stars player. Cannavaro was too tough to pass.”
“I believed in my ability to beat defenders, but he was too good for me. It is not surprising that he won the Ballon d’Or that year. His efforts were supported by Nesta,” he added.
Despite the setback against Italy, Ghana showed resilience by defeating the Czech Republic 2-0, with Gyan scoring the first goal, and beating the United States to advance to the round of 16.
However, their run in the tournament ended with a 3-0 loss to Brazil. Italy, meanwhile, took the World Cup trophy after a thrilling victory over France in the penalty shootout.
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