“They are great guys” – Watford’s Troost-Ekong shares his thoughts on Super Eagles’ two newest stars

The Nigerian national team has a fair blend of players born at home and abroad and two of the team’s most recent debutants have impressed the Hornets’ centre-back

Watford defender William Troost-Ekong has given a thumbs up to the duo of Rangers’ Calvin Bassey and Leicester City’s Ademola Lookman after making their Super Eagles’ debuts during the last international break.

The break did not end well for Nigeria as the three-time Africa Cup of Nations champions failed to pick up one of the continent’s five tickets to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

But one of the few positives was seeing Bassey and Lookman make their Super Eagles bow against Ghana’s Black Stars.

Born in Italy, Bassey earned his first Super Eagles invitation in October but waited until the second half of the match in Kumasi last month before picking up his first international cap.

And like Bassey, Lookman made his full debut in the second leg against Ghana in Abuja. The RB Leipzig loanee impressed as he earned the penalty kick converted by Troost-Ekong for the equaliser in the 1-1 draw against the Black Stars.

And Ekong maintains that the Super Eagles will still enjoy the best of Bassey and Lookman as they are both wonderful persons on and off the pitch.

“They are very great guys, Lookman and Calvin, and it is great having them in the squad,” Troost-Ekong told the Punch.

“They both play in top leagues. Lookman plays in the Premier League but also has experience playing in Germany, which is good for the team, while Bassey has been a standout player for Glasgow Rangers in Scotland.”

After winning a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Troost-Ekong added an Afcon bronze medal to his cabinet in 2019.

With Nigeria failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, Bassey and Lookman will wait until the Afcon next year to represent the country at an international event for the first time.