Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has officially drawn the curtain on his international career, ending a ten-year journey with Nigeria’s senior national team. The defender confirmed his decision in a heartfelt message shared on Instagram on Thursday.
In the emotional statement, Troost-Ekong described representing Nigeria as the highest honour of his professional career and expressed deep gratitude to fans, teammates, and the nation. He noted that while he has stepped away from the pitch, his support for the Super Eagles remains unwavering as he embraces a new phase of his life.
“Honoured. Grateful. Forever a Super Eagle,” he wrote. “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.”
His announcement came shortly after football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported the development, stating that the centre-back had elected to retire after earning 83 caps, securing three medals, and participating in five major tournaments.
Troost-Ekong, who plies his trade with Al-Kholood in the Saudi Pro League, was born in the Netherlands to a Dutch mother and Nigerian father. After representing the Netherlands at youth level, he committed his senior career to Nigeria and made his debut on June 13, 2015, in an AFCON qualifier against Chad.
He leaves the national team with a distinguished record, including five goals at the Africa Cup of Nations—a tally that stands as the highest ever by a defender in the tournament’s history. His final appearance came in November as a late substitute against Gabon.
Troost-Ekong’s involvement with the squad had diminished in recent months under head coach Eric Chelle, with the defender dropping behind Benjamin Fredrick in the team’s defensive line-up. He was also an unused substitute during Nigeria’s World Cup play-off loss to DR Congo, which ultimately cost the country a spot at the global finals.
The 30-year-old was listed in Nigeria’s provisional 54-man squad for the upcoming AFCON tournament scheduled to begin in Morocco this December. The final 28-man list is expected to be confirmed soon, with the team set to commence camp in Egypt on December 10.
His departure marks the end of an era for the Super Eagles’ backline as Chelle prepares to finalize his squad without one of the team’s longest-serving leaders.
