AFCON 2025: “No such thing as easy game in African football” — Troost-Ekong

By Monsurah Olatunji

Nigeria’s captain, William Troost-Ekong, has expressed confidence in the Super Eagles’ ability to succeed at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following the tournament draw, but he warned that no match in African football can be taken lightly.

The Super Eagles are placed in Group C alongside 2004 champions Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania, after the draw took place on Monday night at the Mohamed V National Theatre in Rabat, Morocco.

Troost-Ekong, who led Nigeria to the final of the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast, described the three teams in their group as formidable opponents, emphasizing that all of them “need to be respected.”

The experienced defender stressed that there is “no such thing as an easy game” in African football, a sentiment that reflects the competitive nature of the tournament.

“We have the experience now to know how to handle these situations,” Troost-Ekong told NFF media.

“I think we have everything in our team to make sure that we come out of this group and this time go all the way.”

The Al-Kholood defender added that Nigeria’s runner-up finish in 2023, where they lost 2-1 to the host nation in the final, had provided valuable lessons. He is confident that the Super Eagles will be better prepared for the 2025 tournament.

“We learned so much last year from the AFCON in Abidjan, but this time we will be more ready. We will be working hard throughout the year to make sure everyone is fit and ready,” said Troost-Ekong, who played six of Nigeria’s seven matches at the 2023 tournament despite battling an injured hamstring. He also earned the MVP award for his performances.

With a strong squad and important lessons from the previous AFCON, Troost-Ekong is optimistic that the Super Eagles have what it takes to go all the way and lift their fourth AFCON title in Morocco later this year.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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