Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong has confirmed his retirement from international football after a decade with the Super Eagles, announcing the decision in an emotional statement on Thursday.
Writing on Instagram, he expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent Nigeria, describing it as the greatest privilege of his career and affirming that while his journey on the pitch has ended, his support for the team will continue as he looks forward to a new chapter.
His confirmation came minutes after football transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano disclosed the development.
Troost-Ekong, who plays for Al-Kholood in the Saudi Pro League, was born in the Netherlands to a Dutch mother and Nigerian father.
After representing the Netherlands at the youth level, he committed his senior international future to Nigeria and made his debut on June 13, 2015, in an AFCON qualifying match against Chad.
His tally of five goals at the AFCON remains the highest scored by a defender in the history of the competition and will now stand as an unbroken record following his decision to step away from the team.
The defender scored eight goals in 83 appearances, with his final outing coming as a late substitute against Gabon on November 13.
