Ghana's Asamoah Gyan wept openly as family, friends and fans said goodbye to his father, George Gyan Baffour Mensah, at a moving funeral in Accra.
Ghana football icon Asamoah Gyan broke down in tears on Saturday as he laid his father, George Gyan Baffour Mensah, to rest in Accra. The former Black Stars captain, one of the most celebrated names in African football, struggled to keep his composure during the funeral rites.
Video from the ceremony shows Gyan standing beside his elder brother, former Ghana international Baffour Gyan, as the family paid their last respects. Baffour read a tribute honouring their late father, and the two brothers shared a moment of deep sorrow in front of mourners.
Mr Mensah died at 82 after a short illness. The family had already held a one-week observance at the New Gbawe Cluster of Schools astroturf in Mallam-Gbawe, bringing the community together to remember him.
When Gyan first announced the news, he described his father as the pillar behind his life and football career. He thanked him for caring for the family and said he was happy his father had lived to see his greatness. He ended with a simple promise that he would stay in their hearts forever.
For a player who carried Ghana's hopes on the biggest stages, Saturday was a reminder that behind the goals and the captain's armband is a son saying goodbye to the man who made it all possible.
