A former Ghana international, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, has recalled his first meeting with Asamoah Gyan as a teenager.

According to the former Udinese player, his first meeting with Asamoah Gyan was when the striker played for Ghana’s under-20 side, the Black Satellites.

Agyemang Badu, who was by then an upcoming player for Berekum Arsenal, recalled that he had to board a public transport, popularly known locally as trotro, to go meet Gyan when he heard of their upcoming match in a neighbouring town.

Sharing the story of how some players influenced his career in an interview monitored by GhanaWeb Sports, Agyemang Badu said, “a lot of players have been influential in my life.”

“I remember when I was at Berekum, the u-20 national team came to play a game and I picked a trotro to go and see Asamoah Gyan play,” he said.

Years after their meeting, Gyan moved to the senior team, with Agyemang Badu being recruited to the under-20 national team.

Agyemang Badu rose to prominence after scoring the game-winning goal for the Black Satellites in the 2009 u-20 World Cup, earning him his first call-up to the national team.

Recounting his first time with the Black Stars, Agyemang Badu said his presence with the Black Stars shocked Asamoah Gyan.

“When he saw me, he was star-struck and asked if I was the same person. So anytime I joke with Asamoah Gyan he will tell me if you do I will reveal what happened at Sunyani,” Badu said in an interview with Akua Dimples.

Asamoah Gyan and Agyemang Badu played together for several years with the Black Stars.

JNA/BOG