A galactic list of African football legends drew the curtain on iconic playing careers over the past year, robbing the continent of talismanic World Cup heroes and Champions League icons that illuminated the game for over a decade.
Heading an eminent list of distinguished retirees is Togo’s all-time leading scorer Emmanuel Adebayor, Africa’s 2008 Footballer of the Year who terrorized Premier League defences for both Arsenal and Manchester City amongst others.
Outspoken hitman Adebayor bowed out in August aged 38 after an itinerant career spanning four World Cups that established him as one of Togo’s greatest ever with 32 goals in 87 appearances.
Joining his Togolese contemporary in retirement is Ghana superstar Asamoah Gyan, whose explosive pace and thunderous shooting captured 6 World Cup goals, the most by any African in tournament history.
Gyan’s extraordinary career contained over 100 caps and 51 goals for the Black Stars alongside domestic titles in France, Turkey, China and India, cementing legendary status before officially hanging up his boots last September at 36.
The Democratic Republic of Congo waves farewell to flamboyant creator Tresor Mputu, still lighting up African stadiums with magical dribbling skills approaching 40 years old, while Guinea loses defensive lynchpin Jose Kante.
Ivory Coast champions also bid adieu to cultured centre-back Wilfried Kanon after almost 10 years diligently anchoring their defence, underlining the end of an era as some of Africa’s contemporary greats all permanently sign off after delivering ecstasy to millions throughout football-frenzied nations.
