William Troost-Ekong denies rumours of forced retirement

Former Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong has dismissed widespread rumours that he was compelled to retire from international football as punishment for challenging the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The 30-year-old defender, who recently announced his retirement from the national team less than a month before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, clarified that his decision was made independently and not influenced by any pressure from football authorities.

Troost-Ekong’s retirement raised eyebrows because it came shortly after he was included in Nigeria’s 54-man provisional squad list for AFCON 2025. Earlier this year, the Al Khoolood centre-back publicly stated that the 2025 tournament would be his final competition for Nigeria, but the timing of his exit — weeks before the squad was to be finalised — fuelled speculation.

A popular narrative on social media suggested that Troost-Ekong was being quietly ushered out for leading a strike over unpaid bonuses during Nigeria’s 2022 World Cup qualifying playoff camp. Some fans also drew parallels with Leon Balogun’s absence from recent national team selections after he criticised Nigerian football administration.

One fan wrote: “Leon Balogun: Criticised the NFF over horrible management of Nigerian football and never got called up again.

Troost-Ekong: Let the world know the Super Eagles were owed for 6 years by the NFF and all of a sudden decided to retire. When you expose the NFF, things happen.”

Troost-Ekong has now firmly rejected those allegations, insisting that no one pressured him to step away from the team. Responding to such claims on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote:

“Not true! My own choice/decision and on my own terms. No one ever asked/tried to force me out.”

The former Udinese and Watford defender went on to reveal that the reaction from the national team and football administrators was supportive when he informed them of his decision.

“If anything, the opposite when I shared my decision. I wish the team all the best and support them together with all Nigerians for the upcoming AFCON to go all the way.”

Troost-Ekong retires as one of Nigeria’s most committed and dependable defenders of the past decade, known for his leadership, professionalism, and passion for the national team. He played a key role in Nigeria’s AFCON campaigns, including the 2019 bronze medal win, and was instrumental during multiple qualification cycles.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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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