ACCRA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan on Monday announced his retirement from the senior national men's soccer team, the Black Stars.

The decision came 32 days after the former Shanghai SIPG attacker was expected to lead the Black Stars to the upcoming 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt next month.

Gyan said he is recusing himself from the AFCON tournament following the decision of Kwesi Appiah, head coach of the Black Stars, to hand the captaincy to another player.

"I also wish to retire from the national team permanently; not pretending my absence would not fuel the purported undermining the country has seen under my captaincy," he said in a statement.

"I would continue to serve the country Ghana in other endeavors as a businessman through various investments," said Gyan, who made his international debut for the Black Stars at age 17 and has gone on to become the West African country's all-time goal scorer.

He represented Ghana at three successive world cup tournaments, in 2006, 2010 and 2014 and has scored six goals to earn the Africa top goal scorer accolade.

The Black Stars coach is expected to announce his team for the AFCON this week.