Nigeria midfielder Alex Iwobi pays tribute to William Troost-Ekong after retirement

Nigeria midfielder Alex Iwobi has paid a touching tribute to William Troost-Ekong following his retirement from international football.

Troost-Ekong announced his retirement from the Super Eagles, bringing an end to his ten-year run with the national team.

Despite being named in the Super Eagles provisional squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, the experienced defender opted to bow out of international football.

Troost-Ekong, who currently plies his trade for Al-Kholood in the Saudi top-flight made his debut for the Super Eagles in 2015 and established himself as a key member of the team.

The 32-year-old centre-back made 83 appearances in his ten-year run with the Super Eagles, racking up eight goals across the period. He secured three medals and also featured at five major tournament for the national team.

However, Iwobi, who plies his trade for Fulham has eulogized Troost-Ekong’s impact during his spell in the national team.

“It is a sad one for us… he is a brother he has helped Nigeria and me,” he said, adding that the squad wishes him the best in his next chapter.

Ekong’s last competitive start came in Nigeria’s 2–1 win over Lesotho, where he scored. However, he has played a reduced role recently, with Wilfred Ndidi wearing the armband and young defender Benjamin Fredrick rising quickly.

Since making his debut in 2015, Ekong has been a consistent pillar for Nigeria. He won AFCON bronze in 2019, made the Best XI in 2021, and captained the team to the 2023 AFCON final, where he was named Player of the Tournament.