Agyemang-Badu: Hellas Verona midfielder bows out of international football with Ghana

Hellas Verona midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has announced his retirement from international duty.

The 30-year-old closes the door on his international career, 12 years after making his debut.

He made over 70 appearances for the Black Stars, scoring about 10 goals and representing the national team at multiple Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournaments and at the World Cup.

"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,'' Badu told Football Made in Ghana.

''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.

"I say thank you to the GFA [Ghana Football Association], Government of Ghana and all Ghanaians for your support during my tenure with the national team.

"I'm available if the nation needs me to help in any way. Thank you Ghana and may God bless us all."

Badu made his first Ghana appearance against Lesotho in 2008 and registered his first goal against Congo in 2011.

Between those two events, he made even greater headlines in 2009 in helping Ghana win the 2009 Africa U20 Cup of Nations and Fifa U20 World Cup. He scored the crucial winner in a penalty shoot-out at the youth championship in Egypt.

Back at senior level, he played a key role in Ghana's run to the final of the 2010 Afcon in Angola but was unfortunate not to make the final squad for the World Cup later that year.

He went on to play at the 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2017 Afcon tournaments, the last tournament in Gabon providing his last run-out with the national team.

His sublime effort against Guinea during the 2012 edition was nominated for the Fifa Puskas Award.

In 2014, Badu got the chance to play at the World Cup, his tournament in Brazil ending in a first-round exit.