Alfred Duncan: Former Inter Milan Player Explains Why He Quit Ghana National Team at 29

• Italy-based Ghanaian midfielder Alfred Duncan has opened up on his international football retirement
• The Venezia midfielder retired from the Black Stars in 2022 after a long absence from the national team
• Duncan has enjoyed an outstanding career at club level, playing for several Italian clubs including giants Inter Milan

Alfred Duncan has shared the reason behind his decision to end his international career at just 29 despite being one of Ghana's best players in Italy in the last decade.

The former Inter Milan midfielder has spent his entire senior career in Italy, paying for several clubs including Sassuola, Livorno, Sampdoria, Cagliari and currently Venezia.

At his peak, when he was playing for Fiorentina, the combative midfielder barely had a look in the national team despite strong interest from the Ghana Football Association.

However, after ten senior appearances for Ghana, he decided to end his international career and has vowed to not change his stance.

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“With the national team, it was complicated because it was my decision to quit. I wasn’t getting the respect I think I deserved,” Duncan told Sporty FM.

“For a player like me, when I got to the peak of my career, I thought I deserved more respect, which I wasn’t getting enough. I felt it was best to step aside for the young ones or those they believed were right for the team to have the chance to play.”

Duncan has made 317 appearances in the Italian Serie A since his debut at Inter Milan in the 2012/13 season.

Duncan's heartfelt resignation message

In 2022, the hardworking midfielder penned a heartfelt message to Ghanaians about his decision to quit the national team, sighting factors leading to his move.

He wrote, as quoted by Ghana Soccernet:

"My heart is sad because I wanted to write a piece of history with the Ghanaian national team but they NEVER gave me the chance to prove it.

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"When you are never considered and there is nothing you can do to change the situation, mentally it becomes more difficult. I have been humiliated, discriminated against and left aside for years even though I have tried to keep the doors open all the time.

"Unfortunately, I cannot continue to feel bad thinking about how I am being treated unfairly knowing that I have a clear conscience.

"Until a few years ago I was the Ghanaian player with the best performances and with the most appearances in the most prestigious leagues but I have never been considered in the national team. I recently turned down some invitations because I find it an insult to call me when it suits someone without considering my feeling as a human being who makes sacrifices in their work."

Bukari accused of using juju

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Ghana winger Osman Bukari has opened up on his beginnings as a footballer and how good he was at the sport, leading to accusations of witchcraft.

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Bukari, like any other Ghanaian youngster, started playing football on the streets before subsequently honing his skills to become a professional player.

The Austin FC forward was so good he played with footballers older than him at a very young age.

Proofreading by Jimmy Modise, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh