Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has announced his retirement from international football, confirming he will no longer play for the team.
The Al-Kholood defender released a statement on social media on Thursday, ending his 10-year spell at the national team only a few weeks to the 2025 AFCON tournament.
He was included in Eric Chelle’s 54-man preliminary squad, but has now ruled himself out of contention for a place in the final 28-man list after his decision.
“Every single time I have put on that iconic shirt to walk out onto the pitch, I have thought back to that moment. To have achieved 93 senior caps, played in five major tournaments, won three medals, and broken a few records — I have lived my dream”, the 32-year-old said.
“That tournament taught me what it truly means to be Nigerian; that in adversity, we come together, we hustle, we fight through the pain and we rise.
The 32-year-old made over 80 appearances for the national team, scoring eight times and holds the record for the defender with the most goals at the AFCON (5).
The former Watford defender also played at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and won bronze at the 2016 Olympic game with the U23 side.
Troost-Ekong also captained the team to the 2021 and 2023 AFCON tournaments, winning silver and the player of the tournament award in the latter.
“Time has come to pass on the responsibility, to pass on the opportunity and pass on the captaincy. As a custodian of an iconic shirt, I’ve always known it was only borrowed. Now it’s the turn of the next generation to continue to write their own story”,
“This isn’t a final goodbye. My work within Nigerian communities continues, just as my love and passion for this team will never fade.”
Nigeria commence their 2025 AFCON tournament against Tanzania on the 23rd of December, before further games against Tunisia and Uganda.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
