World Cup playoffs: Oliseh asks Chelle to drop Troost-Ekong from Nigeria starting XI

By Wale Mustapha

Former Nigeria head coach and captain Sunday Oliseh has urged Nigeria’s current technical adviser, Eric Chelle, to bench team captain William Troost-Ekong for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff matches, citing concerns over the defender’s current form and fitness.

Speaking via his official YouTube channel, Oliseh expressed doubts about Troost-Ekong’s performance level, suggesting the Al-Kholood centre-back may no longer be the right fit for the high-stakes encounters ahead.

“If we want to have a bright chance of going to the World Cup, Troost-Ekong has to be put on the bench,” Oliseh said.

“It is as simple as that. You get to play for the Super Eagles based on the results you bring in.”

The former coach pointed to recent match statistics as the basis for his recommendation.

“If you look at the last three or four games we played, the two matches Troost didn’t feature in, we didn’t concede a goal,” he noted.

“You don’t go into a game as a manager thinking with sentiment. You play the best players. Play only those in top form.”

While clarifying that his remarks are not personal, Oliseh emphasized the need for form-based selection, especially at such a critical stage in the qualification process.

“I’m not saying don’t take him to the World Cup, but for these playoff games, he needs to rest,” he added.

“It’s not about disrespecting the captain. It’s about fielding the strongest team available.”

Troost-Ekong, 31, has been a long-serving figure in the national team setup, recently captaining Nigeria to the CAF playoff qualification after their 4–0 win over Benin Republic.

With Nigeria set to face Gabon in the CAF playoff semi-final on November 13 in Morocco, followed potentially by a final clash against Cameroon or DR Congo, all eyes will be on Chelle’s squad selection — and whether Oliseh’s advice will be taken into account.

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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