William Troost-Ekong


William 'Paul Troost-Ekong' is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Qatar Stars League club Al-Ahli. Born in the Netherlands, he was captain of the Nigeria national team.
Born into a mixed Dutch and Nigerian family, Troost-Ekong was eligible for both the Netherlands and Nigeria at international level. He made his debut for Nigeria in 2015 and has since earned over 80 caps.
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Club career

Troost-Ekong attended secondary school at Hockerill Anglo-European College in Bishop’s Stortford, in England. He played football at youth level in England for Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur, Troost-Ekong began his senior career in the Netherlands with FC Groningen and FC Dordrecht.
After being linked abroad with transfers to Celtic among others, he signed for Belgian club KAA Gent in July 2015 and was immediately loaned out to Norwegian club FK Haugesund.
In July 2017, Troost-Ekong signed for Turkish Süper Lig club Bursaspor.
On 17 August 2018, Troost-Ekong joined Italian Serie A club Udinese. In his debut season in the Serie A, he made 35 league appearances and was booked four times, helping Udinese to 12th position. The next season, Udinese finished 13th, albeit with two more points. Despite the team's relatively lacklustre league campaigns, Troost-Ekong started in memorable victories against AC Milan and Juventus in his two seasons at Le Zebrette.
On 29 September 2020, Troost-Ekong signed for EFL Championship side Watford on a five-year contract deal. He scored his first goal for the club in a 3–2 win over Coventry City on 7 November 2020.
On 24 January 2023, Troost-Ekong signed for Serie A club Salernitana on a loan with the option to buy at the end of the season.
On 4 July 2023, he joined Super League Greece club PAOK on a permanent deal for a free transfer.
On 23 August 2024, Troost-Ekong joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Kholood.
On 20 January 2025, Troost-Ekong joined Qatar Stars League club Al-Ahli on a free transfer.

International career

Troost-Ekong was born in the Netherlands to a Dutch mother, Eleanore Troost and a Nigerian father. He has two siblings, Emily and Everest.
After representing the Netherlands at under-19 and under-20 youth levels, Troost-Ekong eventually chose to represent Nigeria. He made his senior international debut for the Super Eagles on 13 June 2015, playing 90 minutes in an AFCON qualifying match against Chad.
He made three starts for the senior team in 2016 before being selected for Nigeria's under-23 team in their 35-man provisional squad for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. In June 2018 he was named in Nigeria's 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Troost-Ekong was named in the country's 23-man squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, where he scored an 89th-minute winner against South Africa to send his team through to the semi-finals on the way to a third-place finish.
He captained the Super Eagles in the delayed 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, and was named in the tournament Technical Study Group's Best XI of the Group Stage, scoring against Guinea-Bissau. Nigeria went on to be knocked out by Tunisia in the following round.
During the 2022 World Cup qualification third round, he scored a penalty in the second leg match against Ghana, which ended in a 1–1 draw and a defeat on the away goals rule; hence, his nation failed to reach the main tournament in Qatar.
On 29 December 2023, Troost-Ekong was named in the 25-man squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. He converted a penalty in a 1–0 win in the second group stage match against Ivory Coast. In the semi-final match against South Africa, he scored another penalty to grant his team the lead in a 1–1 draw, before scoring during the shootouts which ended in a 4–2 win. He later scored the first goal in the final match against Ivory Coast which ended in a 2–1 defeat. Nonetheless, he managed to win the Player of the Tournament award.
His tally of five goals at the Africa Cup of Nations set a new record for the most goals scored by a defender in the competition’s history, surpassing the previous mark held by Stephen Keshi.
On 4 December 2025, Troost-Ekong announced his retirement from international football with Nigeria, just weeks ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Outside football

William founded the Troost-Ekong Foundation, a non-profit organization aimed at empowering Nigerian and African youth through football and education.
In 2025, AF Global Football launched the William Troost-Ekong Scholarship Award, a youth scholarship competition run via the aiScout platform that offers a fully funded boarding place at one of its UK-based elite school academies.

Career statistics

International

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
128 May 2018Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, Nigeria1–01–1Friendly
210 July 2019Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt2–12–12019 Africa Cup of Nations
319 January 2022Roumdé Adjia Stadium, Garoua, Cameroon2–02–02021 Africa Cup of Nations
429 March 2022Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, Nigeria1–11–12022 FIFA World Cup qualification
518 January 2024Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast1–01–02023 Africa Cup of Nations
67 February 2024Stade de la Paix, Bouaké, Ivory Coast1–01–1 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
711 February 2024Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast1–01–22023 Africa Cup of Nations
810 October 2025Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane, South Africa1–02–12026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

PAOK
Nigeria U23
Nigeria
Individual
  • Africa Cup of Nations Player of the Tournament: 2023
  • Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 2023
Orders