[ad_1]
Sports News for Thursday, December 31, 2020
Source: Ghana Soccernet
2020-12-31
Black Stars midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu
Former Asante Kotoko midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has announced his retirement from international football after 12 years of service.
The 30-year-old wants to focus on his club career after 78 appearances with the Black Stars.
Badu has been out of the Ghana national team for the past three years.
“Although it has been a while away from the national team, I am here today to say that the nation has been great to me throughout my career with the national team,” he told FootballMadeInGhana.
“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 AFCON for the nation after winning the AFCON U-20 and the World Cup. We were close twice, but it’s a little 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.”
Badu was also a youth international and will be remembered for his winning goal that earned Ghana the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup trophy.
On May 28, 2008, he received his first call-up to the Black Stars and won his first international match on June 8, 2008 against Lesotho.
He scored his first goal against Congo in June 2011.
Badu also played for the Local Black Stars in the first edition of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Ivory Coast 2009.
In 2010, Badu was selected for his first African Cup of Nations when the Black Stars finished runner-up after Egypt, and then appeared in the 2012 and 2013 editions of the tournament, with the team twice registering fourth place at the venue.
During the 2012 African Cup of Nations, in a group match between Ghana and Guinea, Badu threw a pass from a teammate from outside the penalty area and threw a volley in the air to score a goal that was later nominated for the 2012 FIFA Puskás Award (FIFA Global Goal of the Year Award).
After missing the 2010 FIFA World Cup through injury, Badu was selected to the Ghana team for the 2014 tournament.
Send your news to
and features for
. Chat with us through WhatsApp at +233 55 2699 625.
