Manchester City Striker Emmanuel Adebayor has decided to end his International career at the tender age of 26. Arguably one of Togo’s best talents, Adebayor’s announcement is bound to surprise many of his fans especially here in Africa.
Apparently January’s attack on his team as they made their way into Angola for the Africa Cup of Nations was too much for him to bear. This statement appeared on Manchester city’s official site.
“Following the tragic events during January’s African Cup of Nations, in which two of my fellow countrymen were killed by terrorists in Angola, I have made the very difficult decision to retire from international football.”
“I have weighed up my feelings in the weeks and months since the attack, and I am still haunted by the events which I witnessed on that horrible afternoon on the Togo team bus. We were just footballers going to play a football match and represent out country, yet we were attacked by people who wanted to kill us all. It is a moment I will never forget and one I never want to experience again.”
Scoring 16 times in 38 appearances for Togo, Adebayor captained his squad to their maiden World Cup appearance in Germany in 2006. It was also during this tournament that he gained his first cap. His last coming in November of last year in a 1-0 victory over Gabon.
I cannot even begin to imagine what the entire Togo team must have gone through when they were ambushed by those gunmen and it must be even harder for the team who not only lost team mates but also friends . Life is full of ups and downs according to me the perfect way that Adebaor can keep the memories of his friends alive is if he continues to play. Quiting the national team is only another way of saying i give up. Yet we know that the one’s who truly achieve success are the ones who refuse to give up.
Photo credit: from Alaqua