Four years ago, in 2022, Francis Amuzu publicly rejected Ghana’s advances and made it clear where his international future belonged.

Today, he is part of Carlos Queiroz’s first Black Stars squad.

The winger’s inclusion in Ghana’s team for the upcoming friendly against Mexico completes one of the most dramatic international turnarounds involving a Ghanaian player in recent years.

Ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Amuzu openly distanced himself from the Black Stars despite persistent efforts from the Ghana Football Association to convince him to switch allegiance.

Born in Accra but raised in Belgium, the former Anderlecht winger had represented Belgium at youth level and still dreamed of wearing the colours of the Red Devils.

Speaking to Het Nieuwsblad in 2022, Amuzu revealed that he is aligned with Belgium rather than Ghana.

“The GFA call my agent every day, but I keep it off. My sporting heart lies with Belgium. With Belgium, you can go very far at such a World Cup; with Ghana, there is a real chance that you will be out quickly,” he said.

The comments generated backlash among Ghanaian fans, many of whom felt the winger had looked down on the national team while chasing a Belgium call-up.

But football and perhaps perspective have a way of changing quickly.

After failing to cement a place in Belgium’s senior national team despite youth appearances and a brief senior call-up, Amuzu gradually softened his stance towards Ghana.

Queiroz's bold Black Stars squad selection for Mexico friendly sparks debate

In a more recent interview after Ghana secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup with GZH, his tone was completely different.

“To be honest, at the moment, my heart is really with Ghana. If Ghana comes for sure, I will go and I hope they can call me. For me, I’m Ghanaian. I was born in Ghana, so I’m happy that they qualified for the World Cup. It’s a wonderful tournament to play in, one of the biggest in the world,” he added.

Now, the 26-year-old has officially accepted Ghana’s invitation after years of hesitation and public rejection.

Now, the Mexico friendly offers him a second chance and perhaps an opportunity to finally win over the same Ghanaian supporters he once pushed away.

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Watch the latest episode of Sports Check with ex-Black Stars forward Augustine Ahinful