Athletic Bilbao's Inaki Williams to play for Ghana

Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams announced Tuesday that he will switch his allegiance from Spain to Ghana with the hope of representing the country at the 2022 World Cup.

Born in Bilbao to Ghanaian parents, the 28-year-old Williams, whose younger brother Nico also plays for Athletic, was capped once by Spain in a 2016 friendly.

"I feel the moment has come for me to find my origins within myself and with Africa and Ghana which means so much to me and my family," Williams said on social media.

"I want to return a small part of everything it has given to us because Ghana has played a significant part of becoming who I am as a person, as a son and as a brother.

"Today a new challenge begins. From now on, I will defend Ghana's T-shirt with all my will whilst I give my best. I'm one of the Black Stars," he added.

His availability for Ghana comes as a huge boost ahead of this year's World Cup in Qatar, where the 2010 quarter-finalists will face Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea in Group H.