Crazy haircuts, cry for World Cup, music awards and plenty goals – doubt no dey say Asamoah Gyan na one of African football most colourful characters.

Di Ghana legend blow di full-time whistle on im football career on Tuesday afta ogbonge journey wey carry am around di world wey reach 20 years.

Di 37-year-old striker play for three World Cups and seven Africa Cup of Nations (Afcons), captaining di Black Stars on many occasions, but somehow always end up as di nearly man.

BBC Sport Africa chook eye inside some of di numbers and events wey define im career on and off di pitch.

1. Ghana's number one for goals

Gyan na Ghana all-time leading goalscorer, netting 51 times in 109 games. Only Andre Ayew don play more times for di Black Stars.

Im international debut for di World Cup qualifier against Somalia for November 2003 na sign of tins to come as e score five minutes afta coming on as a 77th-minute substitute. Dis na three days to im 18th birthday, dat goal make am Ghana youngest ever scorer.

Former international team-mate John Paintsil fit still remember im first encounter wit a young Gyan wen two of dem dey play for Ghanaian side Liberty Professionals.

"One day, di youth side chop beating by di seniors. E get dis striker wey dey fast on di ball, very skilful, e dribble left and right, very good in di air ande dey worry our defenders.

"I go for di tackle, Gyan do some skills, e twist me and I see di ball for net again. I say 'Wow, I believe dis boy go become one of di best strikers Ghana don ever produce'. E come to pass."

Gyan also score eight Afcon goals for im country, losing two finals for 2010 and 2015. Im record of 31 appearances spread across seven tournaments wey leave am joint-second on di all-time list, again behind compatriot Ayew (34), while Egypt Ahmed Hassan na di only pesin to don play for eight Afcons.

Painstil tell BBC Sport Africa, "Gyan na one of di best strikers wey Africa and Ghana don produce."

2. World Cup success...and dat penalty

Gyan na also Africa all-time leading scorer for World Cups, wit six goals spread across three tournaments (2006, 2010 and 2014).

Afta e help im nation qualify for dia first World Cup, e score just 68 seconds into Ghana second group game against Czech Republic for di 2006 tournament for Germany. Di Black Stars go on to make di second round bifor losing to Brazil.

But di 2010 BBC African Footballer of di Year dey popular for one sliding doors moment for di next World Cup for South Africa, di first to hold on African soil.

Afta e score two penalties to help Ghana narrowly qualify from group wey get Germany, Australia and Serbia, e den score a 93rd-minute winner in di last 16 against di USA, to set up a quarter-final against Uruguay.

Wetin happun next done become part of interesting tori of a World Cup.

Wit di game tied at 1-1 heading into di final minute of extra-time, Uruguay striker Luis Suarez chop red card for using hand to stop goal wey dey enta net wey deny Ghana a winning goal.

But wit di world watching, dis time Gyan no fit convert as im penalty clip di bar and go over.

E show courage to step up and score from di spot just minutes later, but Ghana lost di shootout 4-2.

"All of us gatz go Gyan [hotel] room," Paintsil reveal.

"We do all we fit but e just dey cry throughout di night. I go tell you, Gyan still dey feel dat pain."

Di forward recover to captain im country for di 2014 World Cup for Brazil, scoring two more goals against Portugal and Germany, but no redemption tori as di Black Stars finish bottom of dia group.

3. Three is di magic number

Gyan surprise World Cup commentators by wearing di number three shirt.

Dat choice, wey e carry throughout im career, dey inspired by im broda and im Christian faith.

Baffour Gyan play 25 times for di national team and, like im younger broda, im too na striker. Wen Asamoah become part of di Ghana set-up, Baffour suggest di number becos e represent di Holy Trinity - di Father, di Son and di Holy Spirit.

"E dey like DNA. Both broda get power and dem be fighters," Paintsil tok, aas e describe di number three as Gyan "symbol".

"Di number three dey live wit am everywia e go."

4. Hair-raising controversy

Indeed, Gyan certainly carry di number wit am once e shave and dye am for one part of im head, style wey e adopt afta im 2010 World Cup heartbreak.

As pipo don se am wit different hairstyle for many years, im mohawk hairstyle land am for hot water in 2016 afta im loan move to Al Ahli for di United Arab Emirates (UAE), one of more dan 40 players send a warning letter about "unethical hair".

Gyan agree to trim im locks to avoid causing offence, but carry di mohawk back for di 2017 Afcon. Di number three on di side of im head also make reappearance for Gabon but Ghana still lose di third-place play-off 1-0 to Burkina Faso.

5. Baby Jet score a hit

Wetin some football fans across di world fit no sabi be say Gyan also get successful music career.

Using di stage name Baby Jet, e record three albums wit hiplife musician Castro (hiplife na famous musical style wey dey famous for Ghana).

E release di single African Girls for August 2010 and win di best hiplife single of di year for di Ghana Music Awards, although Paintsil get im own favourite, Do di Dance.

"Na one of di songs wey travel all over di world, no be only Africa, no be only Ghana.

"A lot of Ghanaians dance to am, sometimes di dressing room go dance to am."

Gyan and Castro, im fellow Ghanaian, meet for Italy for 2005 wen im sight Gyan inside crowd for one show and invite am on stage. Dem become friends before Castro disappear wen e dey jet ski on holiday. Dem even force Gyan to deny say e get hand for im friend ritual sacrifice.

Paintsil believe Baby Jet music "impact a lot of pipo life" and even more success for happun.

"E dey great to see one pesin wit so much talent. I believe say even if you give am movie scripts, Baby Jet fit perform very well. E dey blessed.

"These tins come to pipo wey get good, clean heart and im na one of dem."

6. Sunderland cult hero

Gyan play for 11 clubs in eight countries during im career, wit spells for Italy, France, Turkey, China and India.

We fit tok say im most high-profile move come in August 2010 wen e join Premier League side Sunderland afta im performance for di World Cup for South Africa.

Den aged 24, e arrive on Wearside for wetin be di club record $20 million dat time, scoring on im Premier League debut as a sub before den also finding di net on im full debut.

As pesin wey dey comot well well, part-time career as a rap superstar and celebration dance moves win over fans but im cult status dey secure wen e score a 94th-minute equaliser against rivals Newcastle United.

E score 11 goals in 37 appearances for di Black Cats wit many supporters disappointed say e only spend one season for di Stadium of Light before e go UAE on a loan move wey "baffle" den manager Steve Bruce.

Paintsil understand im former national team captain inspire adoration, both abroad and for home in Ghana.

"Gyan na great character. E get sense of humour. We enjoy ourself well-well.

"Im dey very unique and nobody fit predict am. E dey always happy.

"Im dey do so much for di nation and pipo. E don give hope and also freedom to di youngsters. I dey so proud of am."

Baby Jet fit don dey too old to play football but e certainly don lead a hip life up to dis point.