Iwobi confesses Nigeria will miss retired defender Troost-Ekong

Nigeria international Alex Iwobi has discussed the recent decision by Super Eagles defender William Troost-Ekong to retire from national team duties ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

On Thursday, Troost-Ekong officially announced his retirement from international football after 10 years of service with the Super Eagles. Troost-Ekong, who has 83 caps for Nigeria and was named in coach Eric Chelle’s 54-man provisional squad ahead of the AFCON, but he made the announcement in a post on his Instagram handle.

The Al-Kholood defender expressed gratitude to have represented the three-time African champions, assuring that although the journey ends, the support continues.

While responding to the decision, the former Arsenal and current Fulham player admitted Troost-Ekong’s presence will be missed in around the Super Eagles camp.

Troost-Ekong will be much missed, he was a big leader

“Obviously it is a sad one for us because it is a big part of our team. But at the end of the day I wish him well, he is a brother he has helped Nigeria and me,” Iwobi told SportyTV’s Kelechi as quoted by Allnigeriasoccer.

“I just hope that the next chapter he has in life goes well for him and we will all support him. Of course towards the end of his Nigerian career he wasn’t playing as much as probably he would like but he was still a big part of our team, his voice, the way he was leading us and the way he made sure the togetherness in the team was very high and very strong.”

Iwobi added: “So, he will be much missed, he was a big leader for us and I am sure we have other leaders that can follow in his footsteps but we all wish him well.”

Troost-Ekong made his senior international debut for the Super Eagles in June 2015, playing 90 minutes in an AFCON qualifying match against Chad, after representing the Netherlands at under-19 and under-20 youth levels.

He made three starts for the senior team in 2016 before being selected for Nigeria’s Under-23 team in their 35-man provisional squad for the 2016 Olympic Games where he helped them win bronze.

Troost-Ekong captained Nigeria at the delayed 2021 AFCON

In June 2018, he was named in Nigeria’s 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, and was named in the 23-man squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, where he scored an 89th-minute winner against South Africa to send his team through to the semifinals on the way to a third place finish.

He captained Nigeria at the delayed 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, and was named in the tournament Technical Study Group’s Best XI of the group stage, scoring against Guinea-Bissau. Nigeria went on to be knocked out by Tunisia in the following round.

During the 2022 World Cup qualification third round, he scored a penalty in the second leg match against Ghana, which ended in a 1–1 draw and a defeat on the away goals rule. Consequently, his nation failed to reach the main tournament in Qatar.

His tally of five goals at the AFCON is the current record for the highest number of goals scored by a defender in AFCON history.

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