Accra, Feb 19 (IANS) Ghana's football star Asamoah Gyan has retired from the national team, the Black Stars, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) confirmed in a statement issued here.

The Al Ain star sent a letter to the GFA late Friday night informing them of his decision, which had the "full support of family and friends".

The GFA statement said Gyan was frustrated over the verbal abuse he has received since playing for the country at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.

The GFA talked with Gyan to convince him to reconsider his decision, the statement added. Gyan, who has scored 28 goals in 59 games for Ghana, cited the "intolerable" abuse he suffered after the Black Stars exit from the recent African Cup of Nations as the reason for his sudden announcement.

The 26-year-old netted on his debut against Somalia nine years ago.

Gyan became "public enemy No. 1" after missing a crucial penalty in Ghana's 1-0 semifinal defeat to Zambia, with many Ghanaian football lovers accusing him for the loss.

The penalty he missed was similar to the one he missed at the quarterfinal against Uruguay at the 2010 World Cup, Xinhua reports.

Gyan has said that it was "an incredible honour" to represent his country having made his debut as a 17-year-old in 2003.