William Troost-Ekong has revealed the reason behind his decision to quit the Super Eagles before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, reports Completesports.com.
The 32-year-old announced his retirement from international football on Thursday.
Troost-Ekong was named in Nigeria’s provisional squad for AFCON 2025 by head coach, Éric Chelle on Tuesday.
The defender has now opted not to take part in the competition
Troost-Ekong believed it’s the right time to step aside and allow the new generation to lead.
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“Now is the moment for them to claim that,” Troost-Ekong said in an interview with the Standard.
“The team is ready because we’ve got great leaders.
“I think there is a natural progression and there is an art in knowing when to step away.”
“Selfishly, I would have loved to lift the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and play at one more World Cup.
“But the thing that has given me the most joy now is I get messages from young boys saying they want to play for the Super Eagles.
They say they look up to me. Those are things you don’t start playing football for, but once they happen, they give you a real sense of pride.”
By Adeboye Amosu
