Defender Baba Rahman has vowed to play for Ghana again but will only return to the national team when he feels fully fit.

The 30-year-old’s most recent outing for the Black Stars came in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier against the Central African Republic last September when he was jeered by some corners of the ground in Kumasi.

But Rahman, who plays his club football in Greece, insists his absence stems from a desire to look after his body rather than the day’s treatment.

“It’s a personal decision to take a break (from Ghana) to focus on fitness because I haven’t had a good time with injuries,” the left-back told BBC Sport Africa.

“When I joined PAOK last year, I thought it was wise to stay away from international football for a while to regain my fitness.”

Between January 2017 and September 2020, the left-back spent an agonizing total of 999 days on the sidelines after suffering a series of serious injuries, including rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament twice.

He returned to appear in Afcon 2021 and FIFA World Cup 2022 Campaigns, both of which ended in group stage exits.

“The fans keep asking me to come back to play for Ghana, but I think I have to take care of my health first, right now,” adds Rahman.

“People know about my injury history and it’s been a really tough couple of years. I just want to enjoy my club football again and then I know my international career will pick up again.”

Trust in the Black Stars

Rahman insists he still has a strong relationship with the Black Stars and their supporters and will once again be firmly behind the national team for the upcoming must-win Afcon 2025 qualifiers against Angola and Niger.

“I watch every Ghana match from minute one to the final whistle,” he says.

“Right before the lineup comes out, I’m always checking how the preparations are going. I’m also talking to some of the guys in the camp.”

However, the four-time continental champions need other results to go their way in Group F if they are to reach the finals in Morocco next year, as they will be eliminated if Sudan win a point from the remaining two games.

A series of injury setbacks have further dented Ghana’s chances, but Rahman remains optimistic about their long-term hopes.

“I honestly think the guys have been a bit unlucky recently,” says Rahman.

“We have some really, really exciting young players in terms of what they can do on and off the ball. We also have good prospects.

“I still trust them.”

The Black Stars are doing better in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, level with the Comoros at the top of Group I after four games.

Having played in Qatar two years ago, Rahman is optimistic of reaching the 2026 finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

“Of course I’m thinking about playing in another World Cup and I think Ghana is on the right track to qualify,” he says.

“Right now I’m just focusing on getting healthy, playing as many games as possible for PAOK. Then I’ll see what happens in the future.”

Premier League contenders

Rahman played some of the best football of his career with PAOK, registering six goals and four assists in all competitions last season as his side won the Greek Super League and reached the quarter-finals of the Uefa Conference League.

In the current campaign he has already scored five times in 18 outings, a form that has attracted the interest of Premier League clubs.

West Ham and Everton are among those on the move ahead of the January transfer window.

The defender played against Manchester United in the Europa League last week and that outing at Old Trafford was particularly emotional. despite losing 2-0.

It represented a return to the kind of stage that Rahman promised to grace frequently when he joined Chelsea from Augsburg in 2015.

“These big matches in big stadiums, they make you who you are and show the world your quality,” says Rahman.

“I’ve competed in many big stadiums around the world and I love having this opportunity.”

I “owe” to Chelsea

Rahman spent eight years on the cards at Stamford Bridge but made just 23 first-team appearances for the Blues amid a string of loan spells and his injuries.

“I’m sad that things didn’t work out at Chelsea,” he reflects.

“I had so many bad injuries while I was there and because I wasn’t 100% fit I couldn’t give my best.”

The Ghanaian picks the “incredible” Eden Hazard as the best player he has featured alongside, but it is a member of the Chelsea backroom team who has had the biggest impact on his career.

“I owe them a lot because Dr. Paco (Biosca, former Chelsea medical director) was the one who convinced me not to retire after my second ACL injury,” he reveals.

Rahman came close to hanging up his boots in 2019 following that injury, having only returned from another serious knee injury the previous year.

“It took me 18 months to get back and when the doctor told me I had another ACL injury I decided I’d had enough,” he recalls.

“I told my family I was quitting.

“But Dr. Paco said he had seen other players come back and promised me that if I was patient and mentally strong, I could do it too. I slept on it and then decided I wanted to fight for my career.

“I’m grateful that football gave me a second chance. I’m just trying to enjoy it until the last moment.”