Obiang insists he is very satisfied with his recent decision to commit to the central African country having played for Spain's youth teams.

"That was really a good decision for my family and many people around there (Equatorial Guinea)," he told the BBC.

"I need to start doing something better with the national team, this is my chance."

His comments follow his debut in November for the Nzalang Nacional in a 1-0 loss to Senegal in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

"It's my origin so I have to be proud and I think the people are really proud of me," said Obiang.

The West Ham utility player said though it took him a long time to commit his international career to his ancestral land, he feels it was the right time to do so.

"I am 26, so I am still young and I don't think it was late," he insisted.

"If people think about that they have to understand that now I am growing up and I am a better player than before," he said.

Equatorial Guinea are out of the running for qualification to next year's Nations Cup finals even before they play their final qualifier against Sudan in March.