Super Eagles assistant coach Fidelis Ilechukwu has expressed shock at the decision of captain William Troost-Ekong to end his playing time for the national team, SportPremi reports.
The Nigerian team suffered a major blow on Thursday as captain William Troost-Ekong announced his decision to retire from international football.
In a statement on social media, the 32-year-old ended his 10-year spell at the national team only a few weeks to the 2025 African Cup of Nations.
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The decision comes after another Nigerian defender Benjamin Fredrick was ruled out of the tournament after suffering a knee injury in training with Belgian side Dender.
Troost-Ekong made over 80 competitive appearances for the Super Eagles, scoring eight times and holds the record for the most goals by a defender at the AFCON.
He represented Nigeria at five major tournaments and won bronze and silver at the 2019 and 2024 AFCON tournaments respectively.
The 32-year-old also won the bronze medal for the men’s football competition at the 2016 Olympic games in Brazil.
Eric Chelle will have to appoint a new captain to lead the side into the tournament, with the likes of Wilfried Ndidi and Victor Osimhen favorites for the role.
Ilechukwu hails ‘top-class’ Ekong
Fidelis Ilechukwu, who acts as the head coach of Nigerian Premier Football League side Rangers and also as the assistant coach for the Super Eagles paid tribute to the retired Ekong after the announcement.
He said; “William Troost-Ekong is not just a football player, Ekong is not just a top-class defender, Ekong is not just one of the best defenders in Africa; Ekong to me is a leader on and off the pitch.
He is an organiser, he is disciplined, he is humble, sweet to work with, and I enjoyed working with him.
“For me, he is top class, I wish him all the best in the future, I wish him well in all he does in the future. I will not be surprised to see him on the touchline in the future as a coach because he has the quality”, the Rangers coach continued.
“He knows how to talk to people, he knows how to organise people. He knows how to do it well, whether on the pitch or outside the pitch. I wish him well.”
What next for Nigeria?
Nigeria head into the AFCON tournament hoping to put behind the disappointment of missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Super Eagles missed out to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the CAF playoff final, marking the second consecutive time the country will be absent from the world stage.
However, the AFCON offers a form of redemption and they are one of the favorites to lift the prestigious trophy going into the tournament.
The three-time champions will compete in group C alongside Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda and will begin their campaign on the 23rd against the former.
