Super Eagles of Nigeria captain, William Troost-Ekong, has announced his retirement from International football, just weeks before the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) kicks off in Morocco.
Troost-Ekong, 31, confirmed in an emotional statement that his final appearance for Nigeria came in the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff defeat to DR Congo, a loss that ended the country’s qualification hopes.
He said in a social media post on Thursday that he is calling time on a career defined by leadership, resilience and unbroken commitment.
Troost-Ekong made his competitive debut in 2015 and quickly established himself as the heartbeat of Nigeria’s defence. His partnership with Leon Balogun became the foundation of the side that reached the 2018 World Cup and competed at multiple AFCON tournaments.
He won three major medals with Nigeria, including a bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympics and another bronze at the 2019 AFCON. His finest moment came at the delayed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, where he captained the Super Eagles to the final.
Troost-Ekong was named Player of the Tournament after scoring in the final and delivering one of the standout campaigns by a Nigerian defender.
“To have achieved 83 caps, played in five major tournaments and captained Nigeria is beyond my wildest dreams,” he added. “In adversity, we come together, we hustle, we fight through the pain and rise.”
The defender said he is “at peace” with his decision and hopes his journey will inspire the next generation of Super Eagles players.
“It has been fun to play alongside my Nigerian teammates, building something great together,” he said. “Now it’s the turn of the next generation to continue and write their own story.”
His retirement marks the end of an era for Nigeria, a decade in which Troost-Ekong became not only a captain, but a symbol of pride, perseverance and national identity.
