Carrying the weight

The FIFA World Cup 2010 concluded earlier this month with Spain beating Netherlands for the title in a rather unexpected finish to the tournament. The tournament had some great games, some great team play, great individual efforts by players, some good officiating, and some very poor officiating.

I am sure that it must be rather impossible for the Brazilian team (which was considered the hot favorite) to erase the bad memories of their loss to the Netherlands. The stakes are very high and carrying the weight of an entire country must be so difficult. But the one person I feel the most for Ghana’s striker Asamoah Gyan. With a semifinal berth at stake, he had the golden opportunity to take Ghana where they had never gone before. Not only was all of Ghana, but the entire continent of Africa was watching intently as Ghana was the lone remaining African team in the competition. Ghana was awarded a penalty kick against Uruguay in what would have almost certainly been the last play of the game. Gyan kicked hard but right into the crossbar. The rest is history as Uruguay went on to win the game in a penalty shootout.

I can’t even begin to imagine how Gyan must have felt then and feels now. Talk about carrying the weight of an entire continent on his shoulders. One always hears that these star players make too much money and that they don’t deserve much sympathy. Well, I don’t know how much money Gyan makes but to live with something like this for the rest of his life – I don’t care how tough one is, this is just too difficult. I can only hope that Gyan gets another chance to erase these bad memories and do something really special. I really feel for him.