Nigerian Defender William Troost-Ekong Announces Shocking Retirement Before AFCON 2025

Nigerian footballer William Troost-Ekong has announced his retirement from international football shortly before the start of AFCON 2025. The 30-year-old defender, who earned 83 caps since his debut in 2015, made the decision to step aside despite being a key player for the Super Eagles.

Troost-Ekong has participated in five major tournaments with Nigeria, winning three medals including bronze at the Olympics in 2016 and AFCON in 2019, as well as a silver at AFCON 2023. He holds the record for the highest score by a defender in AFCON history.

Troost-Ekong expressed gratitude to his late mentor Stephen Keshi and his fans for their support throughout his career. The departure of Troost-Ekong raises questions about the team's leadership, with Eric Chell set to decide the captaincy for the upcoming matches.