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Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan has expressed his surprise over the reaction on customized armband insisting he is not the first footballer to have one designed.

Black Stars skipper has come in for some criticism for the armband he wore during Sunday's 5-0 thrashing of Ethiopia in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

The UAE-based attacker had his own armband customized with his picture and jersey number emblazoned which has sparked fury in certain quarters.

The customized armband has also fueled rumours of a simmering rift between Gyan and Andre Ayew with the action seen as spiting the latter. Ayew had to call from a new armband when Gyan was substituted in the second-half of the as he could not have used the customized armband.

However Gyan thinks that the customization of armbands in football is not new as several other top stars in the past have done.

“That is what i heard which is quite strange that people are making comments about this armband thing after a huge win,” he told Joy FM. “Honestly I don’t know what people want again, Zanetti of Inter Milan had his picture on his armband. "Icardi of Inter Milan and Sergio Ramos as well so why is it that anything Asamoah Gyan does becomes an issue.”

Gyan says the Black Stars emphatic victory over Ethiopia should be the focus of post match discussion. “At the end of the day we have won and we should be happy with that.” Gyan netted his 50th goal for Ghana in Sunday's game and it was his 102 appearance for his country.