Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Spanish La Liga team Athletic Bilbao striker, Inaki Williams says he now feels Ghanaian and is ready to represent the country at international level.
The 28-year-old revealed a video on Tuesday announcing his nationality switch from Spain to Ghana, shocking fans across the globe.
Before his recent pronouncements, the attacker had rejected call-ups to represent the west African country, citing not feeling Ghanaian as the reason for it since he wasn’t born in Ghana.
“I admire and love Ghana, the food, tradition. My parents are from Accra, and I really enjoy going. Ghana tried to convince me, but I was born in Spain, in Bilbao. I won’t ever forget my family roots, but I feel Basque and can’t con anyone. I would be comfortable with Ghana, I’m sure, but I shouldn’t be there.
“But I wasn’t born or raised there, my culture’s here, and there are players for whom it would mean more. So I don’t think it would be right to take the place of someone who really deserves to go and who feels Ghana 100%.” Williams said to The Guardian.
During a recent interview with TV3, he revealed that he now feels Ghanaian.
“Yes, I was confused before but since I came here [Ghana] and saw all the people and all the things that I don’t see in Spain,” he said.
“Seeing the people is very important and they love me, they take photos of me and encourage me to play for Black Stars
“It was beautiful playing with Spain. I have lived all my life in Spain but I don’t forget Ghana. Ghana is a special country because my parents are here, and my blood is here.”
“Ghana is here in my heart because I enjoy this country. I see my people, I see my parents. My parents are Ghanaians and I am a Ghanaian,” he added.
He’s expected to play for the Black Stars during the AFCON 2023 Qualifiers and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar when fully fit in September and November respectively.
By: D. N. A. MENSAH, Daily Mail GH /Follow the writer @SkipperWrites on Twitter