Sunderland AFC news: Ex-Cats, Portsmouth, Inter Milan, Udinese and AC Milan star announces retirement

The former Inter Milan and Portsmouth midfielder played for the Black Cats for one season on loan during the 2010-11 campaign and also enjoyed stints at AC Milan and Udinese.

The Ghanian won the FA Cup with Portsmouth and the Champions League with Inter Milan, plus two Serie A titles, the FIFA Club World Cup, two Coppa Italia trophies and two Supercoppa Italiana crowns.

Muntari became a firm fan-favourite at Fratton Park during his Portsmouth days after helping Harry Redknapp's side to that historic FA Cup win back in 2008, a fact missed by Sky Sports, who interviewed Muntari about his home nation Ghana in Qatar.

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The reporter was keen to make a point of Muntari’s connections with Sunderland, with Black Cats fan and fellow presenter Tom White in the studio. Muntari, however, wasn’t having any of it.

Muntari said to Sky Sports on Monday before Ghana’s game in the World Cup: “Sunderland? First Portsmouth and then Sunderland - I played for Portsmouth before Sunderland.”

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The 38-year-old had been playing for Ghanaian team Hearts of Oak after three years away from football following a stint with Spanish side Albacete but revealed that he has now definitely now hung up his boots.

Muntari added on his retirement: “I just did a few months with the local side. My son wanted me to play. I didn’t play for almost three years, then my son decided to ask me to go and play. I did that, but now I’m done!”