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Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong is reportedly considering drawing the curtain on his international career following Nigeria’s painful exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The team’s shootout defeat to DR Congo in the CAF playoff final in Morocco sealed their fate, and may have signalled the end of a decade-long international journey for one of Nigeria’s most influential leaders.
According to CAF-accredited journalist MikeThePundit, the 32-year-old centre-half told teammates in the dressing room after the loss that he was contemplating retirement.
The reporter revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that Ekong said:
“I will watch you as a fan at the AFCON.”
If confirmed, it would be a stunning development for a player long regarded as the emotional heartbeat of the squad. Troost-Ekong’s last competitive start came in Nigeria’s 2–1 victory over Lesotho in Polokwane, where he also scored.
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In recent months, he has been used sparingly, with Wilfred Ndidi taking over captaincy duties and 20-year-old Benjamin Fredrick emerging as the team’s most exciting young defensive talent.
Troost-Ekong made his Nigeria debut in 2015 and quickly grew into one of the national team’s most dependable figures. He helped Nigeria win bronze at the 2019 AFCON, and also earned a place in the tournament’s group-stage Best XI at the 2021 edition.
The former Watford and Udinese defender also powered the Super Eagles to the 2023 AFCON final as captain, where he was named Player of the Tournament.
With AFCON 2025 kicking off in December next year, the question now is whether Ekong will stay for one last dance or bring his storied Super Eagles career to an end.
As Ekong weighs his future, a new chapter may already be unfolding for the Super Eagles backline, led by 20-year-old Brentford defender, Benjamin Fredrick.
Fredrick’s ascent has been quick and quietly impressive. He was initially not considered ready for senior football but providence dragged him to the Super Eagles camp in London as Nigeria prepared for the invitational Unity Cup. There he impressed head coach Eric Chelle as Nigeria defeated Jamaica in the final to win the trophy.
