Africa Sports

‘Put your shirt back on’ – Agyemang-Badu recalls age cheating debate fear after scoring winning penalty

Former Black Stars midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has humorously recalled an unforgettable moment after scoring the decisive penalty in Ghana’s historic U20 World Cup win in 2009.

The Black Satellites, on the cusp of history, were one penalty kick away from becoming the first African country to win the U20 World Cup.

Agyemang-Badu, who had taken on the responsibility, stepped up and converted his penalty, etching Ghana’s name in U20 World Cup history.

However, in the midst of the celebrations, he took off his jersey, prompting his teammate to alert him to put it back on, fearing an age-cheating debate would arise.

Footballers, for the most part of their careers, are often accused of age cheating, and Agyemang-Badu humorously revealed how that thought crossed his teammate’s mind during the celebrations.

“I remember after scoring the penalty, I removed my shirt during the celebrations, and Opoku Agyemang, who was right behind me while I was running, shouted at me to put my shirt back on, or else FIFA would take back the trophy,” he recalled.

In football, accusations of age fraud are prevalent, especially in African teams, where players are often scrutinized for discrepancies in official documents.

Nonetheless, Agyemang-Badu stated that there is no such thing as a “football age,” using himself as an example.

“I don’t have a football age because I’m using the details on all my documents. If you’ve got any other age, you can bring it out to prove me wrong,” he added.

Agyemang-Badu enjoyed a stellar career, playing across Europe and for the Black Stars, where he won two Africa Cup of Nations silver medals and earned 78 caps for the nation.
He is currently without a club and occasionally serves as a pundit for sports shows.

 

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. In addition to his media ventures, Solomon serves as a Brand Ambassador for Alabuga, a prominent Russian industrial company, representing their interests and expansion across Africa. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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