Former Arsenal star Robin van Persie and ex-Netherlands midfielder George Boateng have paid tribute to former Ghana international Christian Attah Gyan who passed away on Wednesday.
Gyan’s death was announced by former club Feyenoord, with whom he was attached to for 10 years between 1997 and 2007. He died at the age of 43.
“A beautiful soul is never forgotten. You were there for me in the early days of my career and supported me like a big brother. I will forever be thankful for those memories. Rest in peace Christian,” Van Persie, who made his career breakthrough at Feyenoord during Gyan’s era and was clubmates with the fullback until 2004, posted on social media.
Ghana-born former Aston Villa and Middlesbrough midfielder Boateng, who was a club-mate of Gyan between 1997 and 1998, also posted: “This is a hard one for me to take. R.I.P Christian Gyan. I will never forget our time together at Feyenoord. Rest In Peace my brother.”
A beautiful soul is never forgotten.
You were there for me in the early days of my career and supported me like a big brother.
I will forever be thankful for those memories. Rest in peace Christian ❤️ pic.twitter.com/mIgV0ow21J— Robin van Persie (@Persie_Official) December 29, 2021
This is a hard one for me to take. R.I.P Christian Gyan I will never forget our time together at Feyenoord. Rest In Peace my brother. https://t.co/cDnmjJIBHe
— George Boateng (@george1boateng) December 29, 2021
Gyan passed away after a long battle with cancer.
Born in Tema, the defender left Ghana to join Feyenoord in 1997, helping the club win the Dutch league in 1999 and the Uefa Cup in 2002.
He also featured for Dutch side Excelsior, Finnish folds TPS and RoPS, and Welsh fold Wrexham.
Former Netherlands international Pierre van Hooijdonk, who was also with Feyenoord between 2001 and 2003, as well as between 2006 and 2007, also paid tribute to his former teammate on Twitter with an “R.I.P KING” post with three photos of their time together.
R.I.P KING ! #christiangyan ????????❤️???? pic.twitter.com/43U9i9OJjp
— Pierre van Hooijdonk (@pierrevh17) December 29, 2021
Another former Feyenoord teammate Bonaventure Kalou, an ex-Cote d’Ivoire captain, posted, “Rest well, my brother. You have worked hard,” said the saddened Kalou on Instagram. “My heart goes out to Anita and the children.”
“Fare thee well Christian “Atta Rasta” Gyan – May your soul rest in perfect peace, my sympathies and condolences to the bereaved family,” ex-Ghana defender Anthony Baffoe also wrote on social media.
Fare thee well Christian “Atta Rasta”Gyan -May your soul rest in perfect peace-my sympathies and condolences to the bereaved family ????????????????@Feyenoord @bonakalou8 @PFAGofficial @ghanafaofficial pic.twitter.com/bRr2meKqyy
— Anthony Baffoe (@AnthonyBaffoe) December 29, 2021
Gyan, a member of Ghana’s squad at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations, first featured for his country at youth level, playing at the 1995 Fifa U17 World Cup in Ecuador and the 1997 Fifa U20 World Cup in Malaysia.