Victor Osimhen, in the opinion of Nigerian captain William Troost-Ekong, has the potential to lead the Super Eagles in the future.
Since making his debut in an Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Chad in June 2015, the 30-year-old has been a leader on the national squad.
Born in the Netherlands, Troost-Ekong played for the European country at the U19 and U20 levels before deciding to play for Nigeria. Since then, he has made 71 Super Eagles appearances and has excelled in a number of competitions, including two AFCONs, one FIFA World Cup, and the 2016 Rio Olympics.
In his most recent competition, Troost-Ekong participated in six of Nigeria’s seven games as they advanced to the tournament final at the 2023 AFCON in the Ivory Coast. He He earned the golden ball and was included in the tournament team, but the Super Eagles were unable to snap their ten-year winning streak against the hosts, Ivory Coast, in the championship game.
As the future captain of the Super Eagles, Troost-Ekong views Osimhen
During the tournament, the PAOK defender netted three goals, two of which came against South Africa and Ivory Coast in the semifinal and championship matches, respectively. Troost-Ekong, who has led his nation for the past two AFCONs, believes Osimhen will eventually assume the position.
Similar to Troost-Ekong, Osimhen led Nigeria well during the AFCON campaign. Despite his goalless record, his effort ethic and unselfish play more than made up for it. He was also a key player in Napoli’s historic championship run the previous season, setting the bar high with 26 goals in Serie A to take the top spot in the scoring department.
“I am a fan of his. I saw his journey when he came to be a part of the Super Eagles in 2019, as an understudy of Odion Ighalo. I saw how hard he worked,” Troost-Ekong said.
“He is a leader in our team, and I tell him that ‘everybody is watching you. The way you play, it drives all of us’. I just try to remind him how important he is and I think he understands that role now and what he means to Nigeria as a person and as a football player.
“I’m sure that he’s going to be a captain of the Super Eagles in future, that’s my wish for him. And for him to win the AFCON and be the leader in that moment.”
Troost-Ekong ruled out for the rest of the season
Meanwhile, Troost-Ekong is unlikely to play any part in the remainder of the season for PAOK after suffering a serious injury just a few days after the AFCON.
The former Udinese and Watford centre-back played through the pain during the tournament but ruptured the biceps femoris in his right foot when he returned to his club and has since undergone surgery in Finland.
The injury caused the defender to miss Nigeria’s international friendlies against Ghana and Mali in March and he now faces a race against time to be fit for the Super Eagles’ upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin in June.
Should the PAOK defender make a recovery before June, he’d still have to fight for his position following the rise of young talents like Benjamin Taminu.
Troost-Ekong was in a similar position before the 2024 AFCON, having been left in the cold in the months leading up to the tournament. However, he fought his way back into Jose Peseiro’s plans and eventually became a starter under the Portuguese.
The NFF appointed Finidi George to fill the position of interim head coach for the Super Eagles, who are currently without a permanent head coach. But given that Ahmed Musa’s international career is currently in jeopardy, it seems doubtful that Troost-Ekong will lose the leadership, regardless of the next coach appointed to lead Nigeria.
Culled from Afrik-Foot
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