Ghana defender Baba Rahman has explained why he opted out of the Black Stars squad ahead of the 2023 AFCON to be hosted in Ivory Coast.
The defender claims that it is in the best interests of the Black Stars and his career to not play for Ghana in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Despite being included in the preliminary 55-man roster, Baba requested not to be taken into consideration for the final team.
Since participating for more than an hour in Ghana’s final tournament qualifying match in September, the 29-year-old has not been called up to the Black Stars. He was jeered for his performance by the fans during that game.
Hughton named the squad on Monday morning without Baba in the team.
This season, the former Chelsea man has featured in 15 games in all competitions and provided two assists.
“The last few years I have had to battle injuries and recovery times and I feel that it’s best in the interest of my career and that of the team to only play when I don’t have to think about recovery or pain- that way I can always give my best to the team,” he wrote on Twitter.
“The life span of a footballer is very short and sometimes we have to make these tough calls for the general interest of the nation we love the most and that of career to enable longevity.”