Troost-Ekong Advocates Long-Term Vision for Nigerian Football

William Troost-Ekong, the captain of Nigeria's national football team, the Super Eagles, has called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to implement a long-term vision for the development of football in Nigeria after the country's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Troost-Ekong participated in the Super Eagles' qualification campaign but announced his retirement from international football in December 2025.

Nigeria's hopes of securing a World Cup spot faded after losing to Morocco in the African playoff final, which ended in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in regular and extra time. Troost-Ekong believes that the current situation should serve as a turning point for Nigerian football, especially after missing the World Cup for the second consecutive time, having also failed to qualify for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

He praised coach Eric Chell for his efforts in turning around the team's fortunes and stressed the importance of establishing a clear long-term vision for success over the next 10 to 15 years.