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Ghanaian midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has retired from international football after a three-year absence.
The 30-year-old Hellas Verona player won 78 games for Ghana after making his senior career debut in 2008.
He became a mainstay of the Black Stars, after excelling at the 2009 FIFA U20 World Cup in Egypt. Agyemang-Badu scored the winning penalty when Ghana beat Brazil to become the first African country to win the youth competition.
He was a member of the team in two World Cups and five African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments, winning two silver medals.
But, he last appeared for Black Stars at 2017 Afcon in Gabon. He captained the team in a third-place playoff loss to Burkina Faso.
“Although I have been out of the national team for a while, I am here today to say that the nation has been very excellent to me throughout my career with the national team,” he said in a statement.
“On this day, after speaking with my family and loved ones, I think it is time to officially retire from the national team.
”I have tried several times to win the African Cup of Nations [Afcon] for the nation after winning the AFCON U-20 and the World Cup.
“We were close twice, but it’s a bit disappointing that we couldn’t win.
“However, I think my teammates who are now on the national team will do that for us for years to come.”
“Thank you and God bless us all,” he added.
The former Asante Kotoko player scored 11 goals for Ghana.
“The movement of the loan is subject to the completion of legal and regulatory processes and is effective as of January 4.”
