Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has risen from the depths of doubt to the heights of global recognition having been nominated as one of the best defenders in the FIFA Award, Soccernet.ng reports.
The defender, who in November 2023 contemplated international retirement after being overlooked by then-coach José Peseiro, has since solidified his place as one of Nigeria’s most dependable players.
Late in 2023, rumours swirled about Troost-Ekong’s potential retirement from the national team. At 31, he was already the oldest player in the squad, and a brief period of exclusion led many to speculate that his days with the Super Eagles were numbered.
Reflecting on this phase, Troost-Ekong expressed frustration in playing for the Super Eagles of Nigeria ahead of the 2023 AFCON tournament.
“I wasn’t sure if I was going to play this AFCON or not, and to be honest, I wasn’t sure if I was going to continue with the national team either because I was weighing all my options.
“I felt that maybe the only thing that was going to stop me this time is that there was some disagreement with the coach before the tournament so I wasn’t sure if I was going to be part of the squad or not.” he told ESPN Africa.
Fast forward to November 2024, and the narrative around Troost-Ekong could not be more different. The centre-back captained Nigeria to a stellar performance at the 2023 AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast, where he was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
The accolades didn’t stop at AFCON. Troost-Ekong became the first Super Eagle to be nominated in the FIFA Best Defender category.
