Nigeria’s preparation for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations suffered a major jolt after Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong announced his retirement from international football.
The veteran defender, who was included in Nigeria’s provisional 55-man squad for Morocco 2025, revealed his decision in a heartfelt statement on his Instagram page. Troost-Ekong, expected to play a key leadership role in Morocco, elected to end his international journey on the eve of the tournament. In his farewell message, he wrote:
“Honoured. Grateful. Forever a Super Eagle. Playing for Nigeria has been the greatest privilege of my life. The journey may end here, but my support never will. Here’s to the next chapter.”
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The announcement stunned many within the national team setup, including Super Eagles assistant coach and Enugu Rangers manager Fidelis Ilechukwu, who in an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa expressed deep admiration and sadness over the news. According to him, Ekong’s influence transcended his position on the pitch.
“William Troost-Ekong is not just a football player, Ekong is not just a top-class defender, Ekong is not just one of the best defenders in Africa; Ekong to me is a leader on and off the pitch. He is an organiser, he is disciplined, he is humble, sweet to work with, and I enjoyed working with him,” Ilechukwu said.
The coach went further to praise Ekong’s leadership qualities and suggested that coaching could be a natural progression for the 32-year-old in the future.
“For me, he is top class, I wish him all the best in the future, I wish him well in all he does in the future. I will not be surprised to see him on the touchline in the future as a coach because he has the quality,” Ilechukwu exclusively told Footy-Africa. “He knows how to talk to people, he knows how to organise people. He knows how to do it well, whether on the pitch or outside the pitch. I wish him well.”
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Troost-Ekong retires after 83 caps, eight goals, and appearances at five major tournaments, collecting three medals along the way.
His remarkable record of five AFCON goals, the highest ever by a defender in the tournament’s history, now stands as an unbroken milestone.
He made his Super Eagles debut on June 13, 2015, under the late Stephen Keshi in an AFCON qualifier against Chad. His final appearance came as a late substitute in Nigeria’s 2–0 win over Gabon on November 13.
A decade after his debut, Troost-Ekong bows out as one of Nigeria’s most dedicated and respected leaders.
