Iñaki Williams parts ways with Ghana

Black Starts forward , Iñaki Williams , has announced his retirement from international football with Ghana, bringing the curtain down on a four-year spell that took the Athletic Bilbao captain to two World Cups and an Africa Cup of Nations.

The 32-year-old, born in Bilbao to Ghanaian parents, switched allegiance from Spain in 2022 after making a single senior appearance for La Roja. The move, which he has previously described in emotional terms as a reconnection with his family’s roots, yielded 28 caps and two goals for the Black Stars.

In a statement posted on social media, Williams said he was leaving “happy, proud and with the peace of mind of knowing that I gave everything every time I wore this shirt.” He thanked Ghanaian supporters and pledged continued support for the team “as one of you, wherever I am.”

The announcement follows reports in the Spanish press, including Bilbao-based outlet Bilbaohiria, that Williams had been weighing retirement from international duty to manage his physical workload and prolong his club career at Athletic, where he remains captain. Those reports cited recurrent muscular problems, including in the hamstring and groin, across the 2025–26 season.

Williams featured in Ghana’s group-stage draw with England and their Round of 32 exit to Colombia at the 2026 World Cup, without finding the net. He had earlier represented the Black Stars at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.

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