Captain of the Super Eagles, William Troost-Ekong, has shared insights into his pivotal decision to represent Nigeria instead of the Netherlands, his birth country, in international football. Speaking candidly about the turning point in his career, he credited a phone call from the late coach Stephen Keshi and the allure of playing for the Super Eagles at the age of 21 as key factors that influenced his choice to don the green and white of Nigeria.
The Al-Kholood defender, in an exclusive interview on the Sports Afterparty Podcast, explained that at the time, the opportunity to play for Nigeria came at a critical juncture in his career. He revealed that despite having represented the Netherlands in the U19 and U20 categories, there was no immediate prospect or pathway to the senior Dutch national team.
He recalled, “Just at the start of the season, I had played for the Dutch U19 and U20 squads, but there was no real perspective yet for the first team.” Reflecting on the decision-making process, he noted that the choice was a tough one: he could either continue striving for a future chance with the Netherlands senior team or seize the opportunity to represent Nigeria, who were in a period of transition. At the time, the Super Eagles were looking to bring in new, younger players to replace aging defenders.
He added, “The choice was between trying to progress and later in my career maybe have a chance to play for the Netherlands or have a chance now to play for the Super Eagles, who were kind of going through a transition stage where a lot of their defenders at that time were a little bit older, so I knew that they wanted to make some changes there.”
Now, 30 years old, Troost-Ekong has become one of Nigeria’s most consistent and influential defenders. Since making his Super Eagles debut a decade ago, he has firmly established himself as a key figure in the team and was named captain on an interim basis during the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). His leadership qualities have since earned him the permanent role, and he has become one of the most recognized defenders in African football.
Troost-Ekong holds the record for the most goals scored by a defender at the AFCON with five goals, including a remarkable three goals in a single tournament. His exceptional performances on the continental stage have earned him a nomination for the prestigious CAF Men’s Player of the Year award, following his impressive showing at the AFCON 2023, where he was named Best Player of the tournament.
As the Super Eagles prepare for their crucial 2025 AFCON qualifier against Benin Republic in Ivory Coast on Thursday, Troost-Ekong is focused on securing a win. Despite the team needing just a point to qualify for the tournament in Morocco, he stressed that the team would not be complacent. He expressed confidence in his team’s capabilities and stated, “The match is not going to be an easy one because the Beninoise are also chasing a ticket to the final tournament. However, our objective is clear: three points on the night.”
With Nigeria’s qualification at stake, Troost-Ekong's leadership and experience will be pivotal in ensuring the Super Eagles finish strong in their pursuit of a place in the 2025 AFCON finals.
