William Troost-Ekong has shared his joy as he marks a decade of donning the green and white of the Super Eagles.
The 31-year-old made his senior debut for Nigeria on June 13, 2015, in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Chad, playing the full 90 minutes.
Over the past ten years, Troost-Ekong has become a key figure in the national team setup, representing Nigeria at three AFCON tournaments (2019, 2021, and 2023), as well as the 2018 FIFA World Cup held in Russia.
At the 2023 AFCON, the centre-back stood out with three goals and was ultimately named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, helping Nigeria finish as runners-up.
Earlier in his career, Troost-Ekong was part of the U-23 team coached by Samson Siasia that secured a bronze medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Looking back on his time with the Super Eagles, he paid tribute to the late Stephen Keshi, who gave him his first opportunity with the team.
“10 YEARS REPRESENTING 13.06.2015 – 06.06.2025,” Troost-Ekong posted on X.
“I will never forget the ‘Big Boss’ Stephen Keshi for believing in me to make my debut in Kaduna that day a decade ago.
“79 caps, 5 major tournaments, 3 medals later. It is my biggest pride to be the captain of this nation & team.
“No dream is ever to big. This is my purpose, and I will continue to strive to be better everyday.
“GRATEFUL!”
In the latest international outing, Troost-Ekong featured for the Super Eagles in a friendly against Russia, which ended 1-1 in Moscow.
A first-half own goal by Semi Ajayi put the hosts ahead, but Tolu Arokodare leveled the score for Nigeria in the second half.