Athletic Club‘s Inaki Williams has chosen to represent Ghana in international football having previously played for Spain, the forward said on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old, who was born in Bilbao to Ghanaian parents, has played for the Spain Under-21 side and also made one appearance for the senior team in a friendly against Bosnia in 2016.
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“Every step we take forward has its own meaning… a glance into the future which leaves a trace itself. A legacy. My parents have raised me with values based on humility, respect and love,” Williams said in a video posted on social media.
“That’s why I feel the moment has come for me to find my origins within myself and with Africa and Ghana which means so much to me and my family.”
🇬🇭🖤 @ghanafaofficial pic.twitter.com/t5cSzOcIfB
— IÑAKI WILLIAMS (@Williaaams45) July 5, 2022
Ghana Football Association president Kurt Okraku tweeted that Brighton & Hove Albion‘s Tariq Lamptey was also available for selection. The 21-year-old right back has been a youth international for England.
FIFA rules stipulate that players can switch countries if they have not played more than three matches for a country before the age of 21 and have not featured in a World Cup or continental tournament.
Williams holds the LaLiga record for consecutive appearances — 233 games — after bettering the previous mark of 202 in October.
The switch comes as a boost for Ghana ahead of this year’s World Cup in Qatar, where they have been grouped alongside Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea. The tournament kicks off on Nov. 21.