Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has disclosed that a phone call from the late coach Stephen Keshi, coupled with the prospect of international football at age 21, influenced his decision to represent Nigeria rather than the Netherlands, where he was born.
Speaking on the Sports Afterparty podcast, the Al-Kholood defender explained that the opportunity to play for Nigeria came at a pivotal moment in his career.
“At the start of the season, I’d played for the Dutch U19 and U20 teams, but there wasn’t any real prospect yet for the senior squad,” Troost-Ekong said.
“The choice was between trying to progress with a hope of later playing for the Netherlands, or having a chance to play immediately for the Super Eagles, who were in a transition period, as many of their defenders at the time were a bit older. I knew they wanted to make changes in that area.”
Now 30, Troost-Ekong has become one of Nigeria’s most consistent players, making his debut 10 years ago and solidifying his place in the team. He took on the captain’s armband on an interim basis three years ago during AFCON 2021.
According to the IFFHS, the Haarlem-born defender holds the record for most goals by a defender at AFCON, scoring five in total, including three in a single tournament. His standout performances have also earned him a nomination for the CAF Men’s Player of the Year award after winning the Best Player award at AFCON 2023.
Ahead of Thursday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Benin Republic in Côte d’Ivoire, Troost-Ekong dismissed concerns about complacency, despite Nigeria needing just one point to qualify for the tournament in Morocco.
“The match won’t be an easy one because the Beninese are also vying for a spot in the final tournament. However, our objective is clear: three points on the night,” he told NFF TV on Tuesday.
The match will be held at Stade Houphouet Boigny, where Benin previously defeated Nigeria 2-1 in the 2026 World Cup qualifier earlier this year, though the Eagles also have fond memories of the venue from their AFCON 2023 campaign.
Troost-Ekong is one of several dual-nationality players recruited by the Nigeria Football Federation over the past 15 years, a strategy that has strengthened the national team with talented players from the diaspora.