Not playing at the World Cup biggest regret of my career – Laryea Kingston

Former Black Stars winger Laryea Kingston has said that one thing he regrets most and continues to hurt him in his football career is the inability to play at the World Cup.

Laryea enjoyed almost a decade stint with the Black Stars and established himself as one of the most technically gifted players the country has seen in the last two decades.

‘Bra Laryea’ as he was fondly called during his playing days was a key feature of the team that qualified Ghana to its first World Cup in 2006.

Laryea was on course to make it to the World Cup until a bust-up with Senegal’s Habib Bei at the 2006 AFCON earned him a four-match ban which ruled him out of the tournament.

Laryea suffered another blow after he was dropped from the 2010 World Cup after a string of poor performances in the pre-tournament friendlies.

He told Joy FM that not appearing at football’s biggest event is the biggest regret of his career and something that will continue to haunt him.

Laryea said that watching the World Cup from home when he could have been part of the team caused him pains.

“If you sit back, watch the World Cup and observe the way the players were giving their all and playing with enthusiasm and thinking at the same time, that I couldn’t play let alone have a taste of it. It really hurts.”

“In all, I say maybe it was meant to happen that way. Maybe if I had played in that World Cup it would have rendered me unable to play football again. So I just consider it a blessing in disguise,” he said.