Tremendous Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has penned a heartfelt message to rejoice a decade of service to Nigeria, a major milestone in a profession deeply rooted in satisfaction and dedication, Soccernet.ng experiences.
The 31-year-old defender, who was born within the Netherlands and raised in England to Nigerian mother and father, was eligible to signify all three nations.
He initially featured for the Netherlands at youth stage, making three appearances for his or her U19 and U20 sides. However in June 2015, aged simply 21, he selected to commit his worldwide future to Nigeria — a choice that has outlined his skilled journey.
Troost-Ekong made his senior debut for the Tremendous Eagles on 13 June 2015 in a 2-0 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying win over Chad. Now, ten years and 79 caps later, he has captained Nigeria throughout 5 main tournaments and picked up three medals, together with a silver on the 2023 AFCON.
Taking to social media to mirror on the milestone, the PAOK centre-back wrote:
“10 YEARS REPRESENTING 13.06.2015 – 06.06.2025
I’ll always remember the ‘Large Boss’ Stephen Keshi for believing in me to make my debut in Kaduna that day a decade in the past.
79 caps, 5 main tournaments, 3 medals later. It’s my largest satisfaction to be the captain of this nation & workforce.”
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Troost-Ekong’s journey has been one in all consistency and keenness. He performed a key function in serving to Nigeria to a bronze medal on the 2016 Olympic Video games and starred on the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
At AFCON 2019, he scored the decisive objective within the quarter-final towards South Africa and helped safe one other bronze for the Tremendous Eagles.
Final yr, he was instrumental in Nigeria’s run to the ultimate, scoring three targets and rising because the event’s Most Beneficial Participant — the primary defender to win the honour in over 20 years. He additionally turned the highest-scoring defender in AFCON historical past with 5 targets.
With Nigeria already by means of to the 2025 AFCON, Troost-Ekong will now flip his focus to serving to the Tremendous Eagles qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele
Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele turns right into a ball of ardour when writing about Nigerian soccer and its skills, whether or not rising stars or established legends, domestically and overseas.
From the deepest corners of the Center East, to the inexperienced fields of the Americas, to the celebrated grounds in Europe, and the wealthy soils of Africa, Imhons is greater than glad, often with a glass of a tasty drink close by, to seize the essence of the sport, by connecting the dots between tradition, identification, and soccer.