Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, has sent a note of warning to Nigeria-eligible players who want to don the Green and White colours of the National Team, Soccernet.ng reports.
The AFCON 2023 MVP was born in the Netherlands, but a call from former Nigeria coach, the late Stephen Keshi, convinced the 31-year-old to play for the Super Eagles.
Ten years on and almost 80 games after, Ekong feels nothing but pride captaining the three-time AFCON Champions, and is proud to see a generation of foreign-born talents coming back to play for Nigeria.
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“I would never try to pressure anyone into making that decision. Representing Nigeria has to come from the heart. Over the years, I’ve had conversations with a number of players who were weighing their options when they called me,” the one-time Greek Champion said in an interview with Punch.
“I always tell them the same thing: if you’re going to wear the Nigerian jersey, you have to do it because it means something to you, not just because it’s an option; it has to come from your heart. In my generation, I believe we helped open that door a bit wider.”
“Players like Leon Balogun, Alex Iwobi, and I were among the first wave of foreign-born talents to commit fully to Nigeria.
“Of course, there were others before us, like Osaze Odemwingie and George Abbey, but I think our group helped to normalise that transition and make it more accepted within the team and the fan base,” Ekong added.
“No, not yet. I’m 31 now, and I still feel strong physically and mentally. When the time comes for me to step aside, I’ll know. I’ll be the first one to say, “I’m done.”
“I’ll never overstay my welcome, but right now, that’s not crucial to my mind. I still feel like I have something to offer the team,” the former PAOK man concluded.
