Ghana international Felix Afena-Gyan has reportedly fallen victim to a burglary after unknown thieves broke into his residence in Bergamo, Italy during his absence on national team duty with the Black Stars.
The striker had travelled with Ghana for the high-profile international friendly against Mexico, played on Saturday, where the Black Stars suffered a 2-0 defeat to El Tri.
The game was one of Ghana’s test matches as preparations intensify ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup to be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Afena-Gyan featured in the match and was among the few bright performers for a Ghana side that was overseen by assistant coach Desmond Ofei despite the disappointing result.
The forward only became aware of the incident after returning home from the national team camp. Upon entering his residence, he discovered that several valuable possessions had been stolen.
The extent of the loss has not yet been made public, and there has been no official statement from the player regarding the items that were taken.
Local authorities are expected to investigate the incident as efforts continue to identify those responsible for the break-in.
The unfortunate development adds to what has already been an emotionally demanding period for the young striker, who is currently fighting for a regular place in Ghana’s national team setup ahead of the FIFA World Cup later this year.
Strong Season In Turkey Raises Afena-Gyan’s Profile
Despite the setback off the pitch, Afena-Gyan’s recent performances on the field have continued to attract attention.
The 23-year-old enjoyed an impressive campaign in Turkey during his loan spell with Amedspor from Italian side US Cremonese.
The Ghanaian attacker played a major role in helping Amedspor secure promotion to the Turkish Super Lig after a successful season in the second tier. He contributed five goals and six assists, becoming one of the club’s most influential attacking players during the campaign.
His performances in Turkey revived confidence in his abilities after a difficult spell in Italy following his highly publicized move to AS Roma earlier in his career.
Injuries and inconsistent playing time had slowed his progress in recent seasons, but his latest campaign has shown signs of a player rediscovering rhythm and confidence.
Afena-Gyan’s display against Mexico also gave Ghanaian supporters reasons for optimism despite the defeat. His pace, pressing and attacking movement caused problems for the Mexican defence at various moments in the game, and he looked eager to make an impression on the technical team.
With competition for places in the Black Stars squad becoming increasingly intense, every international appearance remains important for players hoping to secure a spot in the team for the World Cup.
He led the lines and helped Ghana to beat the Super Eagles of Nigeria over two legs to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar but he ultimately missed out on the chance to play at the Mundial after he was left out of Otto Addo’s final squad for the tournament.
Afena-Gyan is among several forwards battling for inclusion in Carlos Queiroz’s final plans. For now, the former Roma striker will hope to move past the burglary incident quickly and focus fully on his football career.
After rebuilding momentum with a successful season in Turkey, the Ghanaian forward will be determined not to allow the off-field setback disrupt what has been a promising return to form.
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