William Troost-Ekong has sent a heartfelt message to dual-national players considering their international futures, encouraging them to experience the pride and passion that comes with representing Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Soccernet.ng reports.
Reflecting on his own choice, the Al Kholood center-back expressed no regrets about committing his career to Nigeria, calling it one of the best decisions he’s made.
Troost-Ekong, born in Haarlem, the Netherlands, was once faced with the same dilemma. Initially representing his birth country at U19 and U20 levels, he eventually decided to play for Nigeria, his father’s homeland.
A decisive phone call with Super Eagles legend Stephen Keshi, then Nigeria’s head coach, helped solidify his choice.
Following a breakout season with Dordrecht, he made his senior debut in a 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Chad.
Since then, Troost-Ekong has enjoyed a distinguished career with Nigeria, highlighted by his standout performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where he earned the TotalEnergies Best Player award and was named in the Team of the Tournament.
He has also represented Nigeria at the 2018 World Cup and in the 2019 and 2021 AFCON tournaments.
Reflecting on his journey, Troost-Ekong is fulfilled with his decision to play for Nigeria and offers a clear advice to dual-national players, one of which is Chelsea star Tosin Adarabioyo.
“There are so many rewards playing for Nigeria, not only from a game perspective,” Troost-Ekong said on The Sports Afterparty Podcast.
“It means so much playing for the Super Eagles when you are a Nigerian even if you're born outside the country, because the people love football so much.”
He believes that the connection with fans is unmatched, adding,
“It’s a different feeling if you play for the Netherlands or England than if you play for Nigeria. If you see how they carry the players when the team does well, there's no feeling like it, and all the greatest moments I've had in my career to date have all been around the Nigeria national teams.”
The highest-scoring Nigerian defender in AFCON history, Troost-Ekong is in Abidjan where the Super Eagles are set to secure their qualification to Morocco 2025.
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