Troost-Ekong: Ex-Super Eagles star names one thing he misses more than playing for Nigeria

Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has admitted that he still misses being around the Nigerian national team months after bringing his international career to an end, Soccernet.ng reports.

Troost-Ekong retired from international football in December 2025 after a decade of service with the Super Eagles. His departure came shortly after Nigeria's unsuccessful bid to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and just before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The defender had captained the national team since taking over the armband from former Super Eagles forward Ahmed Musa. During his time as captain, he led Nigeria to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d'Ivoire, where the team finished runners-up.

The former Watford FC defender opened up during an open roundtable discussion via Bassey Talks podcast with current Super Eagles stars including Ola Aina, Alex Iwobi, Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey. Troost-Ekong revealed that while he occasionally thinks about stepping onto the pitch again for Nigeria, what he truly misses is the dressing-room atmosphere and the bond he shared with his teammates.

“More than anything, I miss being with the guys. I miss being with….this is family to me, you know,” Troost-Ekong said.

“I envision again like walking out for the first time, walking out on the pitch, those games, those moments. But I have no regrets and it was my decision to stop so, of course, I thought about it so much, so much went on in my head but I don't think I necessarily miss that part. I might do again later but I'm content.

“But I miss the team environment and when I see the team on TV now, I have my hands itching like I want to be there with them again, to share those moments. But besides that, I'm good, guys.”

Troost-Ekong's Super Eagles journey

Troost-Ekong's international story began on June 13, 2015, when he made his competitive debut under late coach Stephen Keshi in a 2-0 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying victory over Chad.

Born in the Netherlands, he chose to represent Nigeria and quickly became a regular in defence alongside Leon Balogun. The pair earned the nickname “Oyibo Wall” from Nigerian supporters because of their strong partnership at the back.

He was part of Nigeria's bronze medal-winning squad at the 2016 Rio Olympics before becoming a key figure for the senior team at major tournaments. Troost-Ekong started all three of Nigeria's group matches at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and helped the Super Eagles secure a bronze medal at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt, scoring a dramatic late winner against South Africa in the quarter-finals.

The defender's influence continued to grow, and he became one of the team's leaders during the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon. Although he converted a crucial penalty against Ghana during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, Nigeria missed out on a place at the tournament in Qatar.

His finest moment arrived at the 2023 AFCON, played in early 2024. As captain, Troost-Ekong scored three goals, including strikes against hosts Ivory Coast and South Africa, helping Nigeria reach the final. Despite the Super Eagles losing to Ivory Coast in the final, he was named the tournament's Best Player and became the highest-scoring defender in AFCON history with five goals.

Troost-Ekong made his final Super Eagles appearance on November 13, 2025, against Gabon before officially announcing his retirement on December 4, 2025. He walked away with 83 caps, eight international goals, an Olympic bronze medal, two AFCON medals and a place among the most decorated defenders in Nigerian football history.