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Hellas Verona midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 30.
In a statement, Agyemang-Badu said she reached the decision after extensive consultations with her family and loved ones.
“On this day, after extensive consultation with my family and loved ones. I have come to the decision that the time has come to officially hang up my boots and retire from international football,” Agyemang Badu said in a statement.
“One of my biggest dreams throughout my football career was to help my homeland end our AFCON trophy drought by winning the title. There were times when we encountered many failures that left us a lot of pain as a team and As a nation, with sweat and passion I wholeheartedly carried the flag of my nation when I converted the winning penalty on the fateful day of October 16, 2009, at the Cairo International Stadium, “the statement said, recalling the iconic moment in which Ghana won the FIFA U -20 World Cup in Egypt.
Noting the Black Stars’ collective failure to end their trophy drought during his tenure, the former Udinese player added that he was open to serving the nation in a different capacity.
“While I remain a bit disappointed by our collective failures to lift the AFCON title, I know that my colleagues today have the capacity to deliver the title to us very soon. Although I have hung up my playing boots, I will always be available to serve the nation. in a different capacity. “
The midfielder has endured 18 torrid months in which he switched from Udinese to Hellas Verona, suffered a pulmonary microembolism in August 2019 and his sister Agar was shot and killed in Berekum in March 2020.
In a recent BBC post, the midfielder described 2019 and 2020 as the hardest years of his life.
“I was near death, suffered many injuries and then I lost my sister in a very painful way,” he wrote.
“It’s very difficult for me and my family. The guy who shot my sister is on the run, they still don’t have it, because things are going very slow because of this virus. It was a disaster.”
He made 78 appearances for the Ghana Black Stars and scored 11 goals.
Agyemang-Badu played for Ghana in the 2010, 2012 and 2013 editions of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON). He also represented Ghana at the 2014 FIFA World Cup after missing the 2010 edition through injury.
Read the full statement below;
RETIREMENT FROM INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL
Although I have been out of the Ghana national team for a while, I am here today to express my deep gratitude to the nation, which has been of great help to my career. Wearing the national colors has always been a moment of pride and honor for me and my heart has always gone out to the many fans who have given me unwavering support over the years.
On this day, after extensive consultation with my family and loved ones. I have come to the decision that the time has come to officially hang up my boots and retire from international football.
One of my biggest dreams throughout my football career was to help my homeland end our AFCON trophy drought by winning the title. There were times when we encountered many accidents that left us a lot of pain as a team and as a nation. However, through sweat and passion, I wholeheartedly carried the flag of my nation when I converted the winning penalty on the fateful day of October 16, 2009 at the Cairo International Stadium. It is a moment that I appreciate very much. Not only because we lifted the title, but I also helped honor my country by becoming the first country in Africa to win the coveted FIFA U20 World Cup. We also won the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations en route to success in Egypt.
While I remain a bit disappointed by our collective failures to lift the AFCON title, I know that my colleagues today have the ability to deliver the title to us very soon. Even though I hung up my gaming boots, I will always be available to serve the nation in a different capacity.
Long live Ghana, our homeland, long live the black stars!
Ayekoooo for all of us.
God bless us all.
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More to follow …
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