William Troost-Ekong is a commanding centre-back and former Super Eagles captain who became the highest-scoring defender in Africa Cup of Nations history. A Dutch-born leader who fully embraced his Nigerian roots, he won AFCON silver and bronze, Olympic bronze and a tournament MVP award, building a decorated international career before retiring from the national team in 2025.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | William Paul Troost-Ekong |
| Nationality | Nigeria |
| Date of Birth | 1 September 1993 |
| Latest club | Al-Ahli (Doha) |
| League | Qatar Stars League (QAT) |
| Position | Centre-back |
| Market value | €1.10m |
Playing style: A commanding, leadership-driven defender
Standing 1.91m, Troost-Ekong is an old-fashioned leader at the back who blends aerial power with organisation.
- 📏 Aerial dominance: A major threat in both boxes and the source of many important goals.
- 🧠 Leadership: Organises defences and leads by example, on and off the pitch.
- 💪 Physical presence: Strong and difficult to beat in one-v-one duels.
- 🎯 Set-piece threat: His goals record from defence is among the best in AFCON history.
- 🛡️ Composure: Reads danger well and rarely loses his positional discipline.
Career: A globe-trotting defender’s long road
Troost-Ekong’s club career spanned the Netherlands, Belgium, Turkey, Italy, England, Greece and the Gulf, built on consistency and durability rather than headlines.
From Groningen to Serie A and the Premier League
After youth spells at Fulham and Tottenham, Troost-Ekong began his senior career at Groningen before moving through Gent and Bursaspor. A move to Udinese in 2018 established him as a Serie A regular, starting every league game in his first Italian season.
He then joined Watford, helping the club win promotion to the Premier League in 2020 and making dozens of top-flight appearances. A loan at Salernitana followed as he continued to test himself in Italy.
Greece and a move to the Gulf
Troost-Ekong joined PAOK in 2023, winning the Greek Cup, before moving to Saudi Arabian side Al-Kholood in 2024, where he captained the team. In early 2026 he switched to Qatari club Al-Ahli, continuing his career in the Gulf.
Across more than a decade in Europe and the Middle East, the defender built a reputation as a dependable, no-nonsense presence and a natural leader in every dressing room he joined.
| Team (Appea.) | Goals |
|---|---|
| FC Groningen (55) | 2 |
| Udinese (60) | 2 |
| Watford (68) | 3 |
| PAOK (35) | 2 |
| Al-Kholood (40) | 2 |
International tournaments: A decorated, record-breaking Super Eagle
Troost-Ekong debuted for Nigeria in 2015 and went on to win over 80 caps and the captaincy. He is the highest-scoring defender in AFCON history with five goals, and an Olympic bronze medallist from the 2016 Rio Games.
He starred as Nigeria reached the 2019 AFCON semi-finals and the 2023 final, where he was named Player of the Tournament. He retired from international football in late 2025 as one of the most decorated Super Eagles of his era, handing the defensive mantle to a new generation led by Calvin Bassey.
| Competition (Stage) | MP (Goal) |
|---|---|
| Olympic Games 2016 (Bronze medal) | 5 (0) |
| AFCON 2019 (Third place) | 6 (1) |
| AFCON 2021 (Round of 16) | 4 (0) |
| AFCON 2023 (Runners-up) | 7 (3) |
Clubs journey: Europe and the Middle East
Troost-Ekong’s career has taken in seven countries, with his Udinese and Watford years the peak of his club career in Europe’s biggest leagues.
Now playing in Qatar with Al-Ahli, the former captain continues at club level even after stepping away from a landmark international career built on leadership and defensive excellence.
| Years | Club |
|---|---|
| 2013–2015 | FC Groningen |
| 2015–2017 | KAA Gent |
| 2017–2018 | Bursaspor |
| 2018–2020 | Udinese |
| 2020–2023 | Watford |
| 2023–2024 | PAOK |
| 2024–2026 | Al-Kholood |
| 2026–Present | Al-Ahli (Doha) |