Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng admits that Wednesday's World Cup match against Germany was an emotional occasion as he played against the country of his birth.
The former Germany youth international sentiments were heightened by the fact that that his younger brother Jerome played for Germany.
Boateng and his half-brother, Kevin- Prince Boateng, made footballing history Wednesday when they become the first brothers to play against each other at a World Cup.
Kevin-Prince, 23, made his third start in Ghana's midfield, while 21-year-old Jerome made his debut after warming the bench in Germany's first two Group D encounters.
While Portsmouth's Kevin-Prince was a stand-out player at youth levels up to the under-21s for Germany, he turned last year to Ghana because of his treatment and what he saw as his lack of international prospects. But the brothers, born in Berlin, are feuding after Kevin-Prince's tackle on Michael Ballack in the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Portsmouth ruled the Germany captain out of the World Cup with an ankle injury.
"It was already something special for me to play against Germany," admitted the 23-year-old Portsmouth star.
"I have thought the whole day about that."
Ghana now look to be Africa's sole representative in the last 16 in the first World Cup played on African soil, barring a near-miracle from the Ivory Coast in their final match on Thursday.