Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong has said losing the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024) final has made him hungrier to win the trophy.
The PAOK defender has featured in three AFCON tournaments since switching nationality from the Netherlands to represent Nigeria. He was born in Haarlem to a Dutch mother and a Nigerian father, which made him eligible to play for both countries.
Troost-Ekong ultimately decided to represent Nigeria and has since gone on to earn over 70 caps. His first AFCON tournament, however, saw the Super Eagles finish third in 2019 before he captained the team to a round-of-16 finish in the next edition in Cameroon in 2022.
The 30-year-old was also part of the Nigeria side that finished as runners-up in this year’s AFCON, having suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of hosts Ivory Coast in the final.
Troost-Ekong hungrier to lay hands on AFCON
Troost-Ekong was a key member of Jose Peseiro’s team and also contributed three goals in the Super Eagles’ run to the final. For his impressive performances during the tournament, where he helped Nigeria to keep four clean sheets in seven matches, the former Watford rearguard was voted player of the tournament.
He was also named in the AFCON team of the tournament, alongside compatriots Ola Aina and Ademola Lookman. Having come very close to lifting the coveted trophy before missing out, Troost-Ekong said losing the AFCON final has made him hungrier to win the competition.
Currently 30, the defender probably has two more tournaments in him, depending on how regularly he plays at the club level and how he maintains his fitness.
“Looking back now, it’s left me even more hungry. When you get so close and you walk past the trophy, you want to be able to hold it in your own hands,” Troost-Ekong told Soccernet.ng.
“I was very driven, even more than before. I always seem to do best when I’ve got my back against the wall. And I didn’t look back. I wanted to be a part of this team because I really believed that we could win the Afcon, whether I played or not.”
Representing Nigeria one of my best life choices – Troost-Ekong
Troost-Ekong also opened up about choosing Nigeria over the Netherlands despite featuring for the latter at the youth level. He explained that since opting to play for the Super Eagles, he has always felt at home in the West African country.
He also described his decision to switch nationality as one of the best in his life, insisting he knows what football means to the people of Nigeria.
“I felt very much at home in Nigeria, as much as I felt at home in the Netherlands. I had the phone call from Stephen Keshi [to play for Nigeria] and straight away I was like, ‘Wow, this is something special.’ I know what football means to the people. I think it has been one of the best choices that I made in my life, certainly in my career,” Troost-Ekong said.
“When I went to play in Uyo for the first time is when I realised that this is where I am from. The people recognised me by my surname. It is so rewarding when you feel unconditionally loved and people are proud of what you are doing. It makes me want to create more opportunities and we can hopefully see a lot more Akwa Ibom players playing for the Super Eagles. That is my responsibility now.”
As a way of giving back to society, Troost-Ekong, who is currently injured, has been raising funds to build a school and finance other projects in his hometown of Uyo.