William Troost-Ekong, the captain of the Super Eagles, expressed his feelings over Nigeria’s World Cup defeat, stating that if he had been on the field, he would have taken one of the spot penalties in the shootout against DR Congo.
Nigeria’s chances of making it to the 2026 World Cup in Mexico, the US, and Canada were dashed on Sunday when they lost 4-3 on penalties. Known for being Nigeria’s best penalty taker, Troost-Ekong watched the entire game from the bench and was only able to cheer on his teammates from the sidelines.
Fans reacted negatively to his absence during the shootout, with many thinking that players like Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen might have converted their penalties if they had stayed in the game till the very end.
The 32-year-old center defender expressed his feelings clearly when asked if he was disappointed that he was not included during extra time. “No, I doubt that I was. He remarked, “I wasn’t frustrated; I just wanted to win this game.”
Troost-Ekong clarified that his dedication to the group extends beyond his playing time.
“As you can see, there’s a lot of togetherness, and my role is to support the team as much as possible on and off the pitch,” he stated.
He acknowledged that if he had been on the pitch, he would have instinctively moved forward for a penalty, but he also emphasized that these kinds of situations aid in the development of younger players.
“I would have taken one if I had been on the field, of course, but it was also time for the other boys to have that experience. The future of Nigerian football as well as their own careers will benefit from it, he stated.
Fans anticipated Troost-Ekong’s presence at the pivotal moment, as evidenced by the fact that four of his eight international goals have come from the penalty spot.
