Nigeria’s long-serving captain, William Troost-Ekong, 31, has announced his retirement from the Super Eagles, concluding a distinguished decade-long international career just weeks before the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
In an emotional social media statement, the defender confirmed that his final match was the recent 2026 World Cup playoff defeat to DR Congo.
Troost-Ekong expressed immense gratitude, stating that achieving 83 caps, playing in five major tournaments, and captaining the nation was “beyond my wildest dreams.”
Career Highlights:
- He made his competitive debut in 2015 and became the bedrock of Nigeria’s defense, notably forming the “Oyibo Wall” partnership with Leon Balogun.
- He won three major medals with Nigeria: Olympic bronze (2016) and AFCON bronze (2019).
- His career peak came at the delayed 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, where he captained the team to the final, scored in the final, and was named the Player of the Tournament.
Troost-Ekong stated he is “at peace” with his decision and hopes to inspire the next generation of players.
While he is stepping away from active duty, he clarified that this is not a “final goodbye” and he intends to remain closely involved with Nigerian football in a future, unspecified role.
