Real reason I chose Nigeria over the Netherlands – Troost-Ekong

William Troost-Ekong, captain of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, recently shared how a pivotal phone call from late coach Stephen Keshi and the allure of international football at a young age guided his choice to represent Nigeria over his birthplace, the Netherlands.

Speaking on the Sports After party Podcast, the Al-Kholood defender recalled that at just 21 years old, the chance to play for Nigeria aligned with a critical point in his career.

“At that stage, I had played for the Dutch U19 and U20 teams, but there wasn’t much clarity about joining the senior team,” he explained. “The choice was either to continue trying to progress in the Netherlands, hoping for a future opportunity, or to seize the moment with the Super Eagles, who were in a transitional phase and looking for younger defenders.”

Now 30, Troost-Ekong has been a mainstay in Nigeria’s defense since his debut a decade ago.

His consistency and leadership led him to take up the team’s captaincy on an interim basis during AFCON 2021.

Notably, according to IFFHS, the Haarlem-born player holds the record for the most goals scored by a defender in AFCON history, with five goals, including three scored in one tournament.

His impressive performances also earned him the Best Player award at AFCON 2023 and a nomination for CAF Men’s Player of the Year.

Ahead of Thursday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Benin Republic in Ivory Coast, Troost-Ekong assured fans of his commitment to maintaining focus, despite Nigeria needing only a single point to secure a spot in the tournament in Morocco.

“The match is not going to be an easy one because the Beninoise are also chasing a ticket to the final tournament. However, our objective is clear: three points on the night,” he told NFF TV on Tuesday.

The game will be played at the Stade Houphouet Boigny, where Benin stunned 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 in the past 15 years, a strategy that has helped strengthen the national team with talents from the diaspora.