Emmanuel Agyemang Badu retires from international football

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 for the Black Stars.

Badu has been out of the Ghana national team for the past three years.

"Although it's been a while I've been out of the national team, I'm here today to say the nation has been very excellent to me throughout my career with the national team," he told FootballMadeInGhana.

"On this day after talking to my family and loved ones, I think it's time to officially retire from the national team."

"I've tried several times to win the AFCON for the nation after winning the U20 AFCON and World Cup. We came close twice, but it's a bit disappointing that we couldn’t win it."

"I, however, believe my colleagues who are now in the national team will do that for us in the coming years."

Badu also featured as a youth international and he will be remembered for his winning goal which gave Ghana the 2009 FIFA U20 World Cup trophy.

On May 28 2008, he received his first call-up to the Black Stars and earn his first cap on 8 June 2008 against Lesotho.

He scored his first goal against Congo in June 2011.

Badu also played for the Local Black Stars in the maiden edition of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Côte d'Ivoire 2009.

In 2010, Badu was selected for his first Africa Cup of Nations as the Black Stars finished runners-up to Egypt, and went on to appear in the 2012 and 2013 editions of the tournament, with the team twice recording fourth-placed finishes.

During the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, in a group match between Ghana and Guinea, Badu flipped up a teammate's pass from just outside the penalty area and launched a mid-air volley to score a goal that was later nominated for the 2012 FIFA Puskás Award (FIFA's global Goal of the Year award).

After missing the 2010 FIFA World Cup through injury, Badu was selected in Ghana's squad for the 2014 tournament.

Thank you Ghana ???????? ?????????? pic.twitter.com/iR8BjYDatg

— Agyemang-Badu (@Badu_Agyemang) December 31, 2020