Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has stressed that the current squad will only earn true recognition if they secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and claim the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of Nigeria’s World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe, the center-back expressed confidence in the team’s potential.
“We have players that are very ambitious, and in private discussions, we’ve talked about the significance of being at the World Cup,” Troost-Ekong said. “I have so much to say about this generation of players—I think we have something very special here, but we need validation by qualifying for the World Cup and winning an AFCON.”
The current Super Eagles squad is widely regarded as one of Africa’s most talented, yet their journey on the international stage has been marked by near misses.
At the last AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria reached the final but fell short, suffering a 2-1 defeat to the hosts. Similarly, they narrowly missed out on a place at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after losing to Ghana in the playoff round.
Looking ahead to the ongoing World Cup qualifiers, Troost-Ekong acknowledged the team’s determination to bounce back. A victory against Zimbabwe on Tuesday would propel Nigeria to nine points, strengthening their position in the race for a spot at the 2026 World Cup.
