Ekong: Current Super Eagles ready to lead Nigeria’s next generation

Ekong: Current Super Eagles ready to lead Nigeria’s next generation

Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong, who recently announced his retirement from international football, has expressed confidence in the current Super Eagles squad to lead Nigeria’s next generation.

Ekong confirmed this just weeks before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

His exit marks the end of a decade-long career with Nigeria and poses a major challenge for head coach Eric Chelle ahead of the tournament.

Read Also: Ekong retires from international football weeks before AFCON 2025

The 32-year-old defender confirmed his decision in an emotional Instagram post:

“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.”

Troost-Ekong’s remarkable journey with the Super Eagles is one he says even he could never have imagined.

Born and raised in the Netherlands, he spent holidays in Nigeria with his father, but the idea of one day captaining the national team felt impossibly distant.

“I would dream big, bigger than other people believed in me or thought was possible,” he told Standard Sport.

“But to go in this direction with Nigeria… I’ve managed to live beyond my wildest dreams.”

He retires with 83 caps and the honour of featuring at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Ekong had hoped to feature at the 2026 World Cup, but Nigeria’s penalty-shootout defeat to DR Congo in November ended that ambition and marked his final appearance.

He informed his teammates that night, bringing an emotional close to a distinguished international career.

“You always want things to end perfectly,” he said. “Watching those last minutes felt like a blur. My heart was pounding during the penalty shootout. It was heartbreaking, but I felt proud of everything we achieved. To be captain was something I could never have dreamt of.”

The decision to retire was not sudden; Ekong had wrestled with it for months, describing “sleepless nights”.

Fitness concerns also influenced his choice, despite teammates’ urging him to stay.

Despite stepping away, Troost-Ekong voiced full confidence in the current Super Eagles squad to lead Nigeria’s next generation and fight for AFCON success in Morocco.

“Now is the moment for them to claim that,” he said. “The team is ready because we’ve got great leaders. There’s a natural progression, and an art in knowing when to step away.”

He added that the messages he receives from young players who say they look up to him now mean more to him than medals.

“Those are things you don’t start playing football for, but once they happen, they give you a real sense of pride.”

Troost-Ekong remains passionate about strengthening Nigeria’s pipeline of diaspora talent and hopes to support the NFF in that mission one day.

“There has never been a lack of talent,” he said. “Ademola Lookman becoming African Player of the Year proves that.

“Players from London, Berlin, Amsterdam and across Europe are coming home to represent Nigeria, and that will only strengthen Nigerian football.

It’s something that must be built on and fully explored.”

Head of Sports at BusinessDay Media, a seasoned Digital Content Producer, and FIFA/CAF Accredited Journalist with over a decade of sports reporting.Has a deep understanding of the Nigerian and global sports landscape and skills in delivering comprehensive and insightful sports content.

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