Inaki Williams has announced his retirement from international football with Ghana at the age of 32, bringing his Black Stars career to an end a few months before the Africa Cup of Nations 2027.
The Athletic Bilbao captain confirmed the decision in a message on social media, saying he was leaving the national team with no regrets.
“I think the time has come to end my journey with the Ghana national team,” Williams wrote. “I leave happy, proud and with the peace of mind that comes from knowing I gave everything.”
Williams said his time with Ghana had meant far more to him than his performances on the pitch.
“Ghana gave me much more than football. It allowed me to return home, feel even closer to my roots and experience the immense pride of representing my country,” he added.
He also said he would continue to support the Black Stars “as one of you”.
Williams’ international career with Ghana began in 2022, when he chose to represent the country of his parents after previously playing for Spain at youth level. He had earlier said he felt more Spanish and had rejected approaches from Ghana, before changing his international allegiance only a few weeks before the 2022 World Cup.
The timing of that decision led to accusations that he had acted opportunistically.
His performances for Ghana did little to silence those critics. Williams scored two goals in 28 appearances, without finding the net at either the World Cup or the Africa Cup of Nations.
Used both as a central striker and in a wide position, he rarely looked as decisive for the Black Stars as he has for Athletic Bilbao. His pace and ability to run in behind defences were not consistently incorporated into Ghana’s approach, while he often appeared to lack an understanding with his team-mates.
The forward’s international career therefore leaves modest figures behind, despite the expectations that accompanied his arrival. His status at Athletic Bilbao had led many to view him as one of Ghana’s potential attacking leaders.
Williams’ connection with Ghana, however, extended well beyond football. Born in Spain to Ghanaian refugee parents, he is the older brother of Spanish world champion Nico Williams.
Representing Ghana enabled him to reconnect with the country of his family and deepen his relationship with his ancestral home.
As the Black Stars prepare for the period leading into the Africa Cup of Nations 2027, they will be without one of the most prominent names to join the squad in recent years. Williams departs with the belief that his international experience gave him something that his statistics cannot measure.
