Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an emotional close to a decade of service after Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 31-year-old made the decision in the immediate aftermath of Nigeria’s defeat to DR Congo in the CAF playoff decider.
According to team sources, Ekong informed his teammates in the dressing room that the match would be his final appearance for the national side.
Despite stepping away from active duty, the centre-back confirmed he will still travel with the squad to Morocco for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, but strictly in a supportive, non-playing capacity. He wished the team well ahead of a tournament he had long hoped to lead as captain.
Ekong’s retirement ends a distinguished international career that began 10 years ago with his competitive debut in a 2015 AFCON qualifier against Chad. He quickly forged a formidable defensive partnership with Leon Balogun, famously dubbed “The Oyibo Wall” and was instrumental in Nigeria’s qualification for the 2018 World Cup.
His finest moment in national colours came at the delayed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, where he captained the Super Eagles to the final and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) despite Nigeria’s narrow defeat to the hosts.
With Ekong stepping aside, attention now shifts to 19-year-old Benjamin Fredrick, widely regarded as the natural heir in Nigeria’s central defence.
By: Pascal Amoah
