The captain of the Super Eagles, William Troost-Ekong, disclosed that he contemplated departing the team before the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire.
Ekong acknowledged that he had a strained relationship with former Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro, particularly concerning the treatment he received from the Portuguese coach after the team’s disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
However, at the 2023 AFCON, where the Super Eagles were defeated 2-1 by host nation Cote d’Ivoire in the final, Ekong demonstrated outstanding leadership and performance. He scored three goals during the tournament, bringing his total tally at the AFCON to five, the highest by any defender in the competition’s history.
Ekong was honored as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP).
In an interview with CNN, the 30-year-old disclosed that he refrained from communicating with Peseiro for several months and contemplated retiring from international football.
“It resulted in us not actually speaking for a few months,” Ekong told CNN World Sport’s Amanda Davies.
“That was the time where my pride and ego, I think maybe got the better of me. I thought about stopping, thankfully, I’ve got a good group of people around me who took me out of it.”
Ekong, who played for the Netherlands at the youth level, looked back on the moment he made his debut under the late Stephen Keshi, adding that he wanted to ‘give my younger self a better ending.’
He said, “It made me think about my younger self and how much it meant and how proud I was to play my first game for Nigeria.
“I deserved to give my younger self a better ending. So that was the thing that changed my mind … I think my career has always been a testament of not giving up.”
Abuse unfair to Iwobi
Ekong criticized the social media abuse directed towards his teammate Alex Iwobi following the final match against Cote d’Ivoire on February 12th.
He said, “It’s unfair, and it’s something that has become part of the Nigerian football fan culture. Different players have been there at different stages.
“I’ve been there, but not to his extent, some years ago. Alex has a big personality; it’s something we love about him. He carries the team in his way; people sometimes forget that he’s played about 75 games for Nigeria. He’s past his uncle’s (Jay Jay Okocha) scoring record for Nigeria. There’s so much he’s done for the country.
Saudi League exciting
Ekong, who currently plays for Greek side PAOK, has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. He reveals that he’s happy at the club but admits that the Saudi Pro League is exciting.
“I’m very happy here, but I’ve not spoken to my agent yet, but you never know in football. It’s happened to me many times.
“You might get tempted by something bigger and better. At the age of 30, you’ve got to think about all your options. It’s something I will definitely consider.