Asamoah Gyan attacks Kevin-Prince Boateng

Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan has launched a scathing patriotism attack at Kevin-Prince Boateng insisting the Spain-based midfielder has never 'sacrificed' for Ghana.

The UAE-based star said the Germany-born player betrayed the Black Stars with his social media comments in the wake of their fourth place finish at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

Gyan insists the public and the media are at liberty to criticize the Black Stars but insists players who are or were part of the squad must publicly back his team-mates.

The Black Stars finished the tournament in Gabon which resulted in Boateng taking to Twitter to reveal his displeasure in a widespread attack saying 'Ghana deserves better'.

His comments did not go down well the Black Stars skipper Gyan who questioned the patriotism of insisting his action is a betrayal of his former colleagues.

"He has betrayed his own colleagues with that tweet," Gyan told a local radio station.

"He might be right. I was expecting someone outside the team to come out with these comments and not Kevin-Prince Boateng.

"Ghana deserves better, Fine we the players know that Ghana deserves better.

"From what I have seen, Kevin Prince Boateng has never sacrificed for this Ghana national team.

"I leave this comment for journalist to talk about.

"I respect Kevin Prince Boateng so much for the kind of player he is, but that comment he made surprises and amazes me. I was not expecting that from him." Gyan concluded.

Boateng claimed the fourth place finish is not enough even though he has been reluctant to play in Africa's flagship tournament in the past as he is only keen on World Cups.

"Unbelievable how a team, coach, fans and country with such great value can finish an AFCON in such a way," Boateng wrote on his Twitter handle on Saturday.

"I hope now we will see all those big changes we all hope for because Ghana and all the people of Ghana deserve better."

Boateng's tweet ignited scorn from certain quarters for the player who has been accused of opportunism in switching nationality from Germany to play for Ghana.

Some fans have accused him of only interested in playing at the World Cup and dodges the chance of playing on the difficult surfaces in Africa.

He has played in two World Cups for Ghana but quits the Black Stars whenever the African Cup of Nations tournament looms.

Boateng quit playing for the Black Stars in November 2011 few months after his playing for Ghana at the 2010 World Cup earned him a bumper contract at Italian side AC Milan.

He quit the Black Stars in November just two months before the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations and reversed his decision in June 2013 in time to play at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

However his sojourn in Brazil ended in disgrace after he was sacked from the camp together with Sulley Muntari following a recommendation from coach Kwesi Appiah.

Boateng who has Ghanaian and German parentage switched his international allegiances to Ghana in time for the 2010 World Cup after persistent snubs by Germany.

He then went on to play a major part in Ghana's run to the quarter-finals of the before announcing his retirement from international football after only nine caps including just one game on Ghanaian soil.

That decision triggered an angry response with many Ghanaian fans accusing him of riding on the back of the country to international fame at the World Cup.

He never played for Ghana at an Africa Cup of Nations tournament.