National Teams
Joseph Yobo endorses William Troost-Ekong as perfect captain for Super Eagles
By Monsurah Olatunji
Former international Joseph Yobo has named William Troost-Ekong as the ideal candidate to take over the captaincy of the Super Eagles if Ahmed Musa decides to retire from the national team.
Musa currently leads the squad, with Troost-Ekong serving as his assistant, but his prolonged activity in the team has raised discussions about future leadership.
Troost-Ekong demonstrated his leadership qualities during the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, where he captained the team and scored three goals, guiding Nigeria to the final, although they ultimately lost to the host nation.
Yobo, who captained the Super Eagles and had a notable club career with Everton, praised Troost-Ekong’s abilities both on and off the pitch.
“Congratulations to him; he is a great player but more so a wonderful human being. When you talk about leadership, this guy is, for me, one of the best in the team,” Yobo told The Guardian.
Reflecting on his experiences with Troost-Ekong, Yobo noted, “I saw him play at the U23s during the Mohawk (Brazil 2016 Olympics) and then came to know him better when I joined the coaching crew as an assistant in 2020.”
He hailed Troost-Ekong’s exceptional leadership skills, stating, “Leadership doesn’t come to everybody. He is a fantastic leader, and I’m happy he’s come back and proved it at the last AFCON, almost leading the team to glory and becoming the player of the tournament.”
