Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has ended an outstanding international journey, calling time on his Nigeria career after the team crashed out of the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 31-year-old made the announcement right after Nigeria’s heartbreaking loss to DR Congo in the final round of the CAF playoffs, according to local media reports.
Inside the dressing room, he told his teammates that the match in Kinshasa would stand as his final outing in the green and white.
Although he won’t feature on the pitch again, Ekong still plans to join the squad in Morocco for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, serving only in a supportive, non-playing capacity. He encouraged the team and wished them success ahead of the tournament he once dreamed of leading as captain.
Ekong’s exit brings a deeply emotional close to a defining chapter in Nigerian football.
He began his competitive Super Eagles journey ten years ago in Kaduna, where he featured in a 2015 AFCON qualifier against Chad.
Soon after, he built an iconic defensive partnership with Leon Balogun.
A duo fans famously dubbed “The Oyibo Wall.” Together, they helped Nigeria punch their ticket to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
His finest hour arrived at the delayed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.
He delivered a commanding tournament, wore the captain’s armband with pride, and walked away with the MVP award, even though Nigeria fell just short against the hosts in the final.
As Ekong steps away, the spotlight now shifts to 19-year-old Benjamin Fredrick, the rapidly emerging defensive leader whom many already view as the natural heir to the backline.
After a decade of passion, toughness and unwavering commitment, Troost-Ekong leaves the Super Eagles as one of the most influential leaders of his generation.
