Ekong encourages Eagles to learn from missing World Cup

Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has said Nigeria's absence from the 2026 FIFA World Cup is a big disappointment. He insists the Super Eagles must learn from this setback and make the right changes to return to football's biggest stage, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

In an interview with SuperSport, the former Watford defender said watching African teams perform well at the ongoing tournament in North America made him feel both proud and frustrated. He believes Nigeria had what it takes to make a strong impact if they had qualified.

Nigeria did not reach the 2026 World Cup after an inconsistent qualifying campaign. This means the country will miss the global showpiece for the second time in a row.

Troost-Ekong said the disappointment has only made the players more determined to see Nigeria back at the tournament. "I think the motivation has always been there. All of us are incredibly eager to see Nigeria back at the World Cup, and missing out again only increases that desire," he said.

The defender believes the Super Eagles have the talent and experience to compete with the best teams in the world. He noted the growing maturity in the squad. "I would have loved to see Nigeria there because, when you watch the African teams performing so well, you cannot help but think Nigeria would also have put in a strong performance," he said.

"Looking at the quality and talent within the squad, I believe they would have been ready. Many of the players have matured, and some also gained valuable experience at the 2018 World Cup."

Troost-Ekong reflected on the lessons from the failed campaign. He said Nigeria should see this disappointment as a turning point and reassess its preparations before the next qualifying campaign starts. "It would have been wonderful to see them compete, but I also think this serves as an important lesson. We need to reflect on our preparation and identify what needs to change to reach the next level ahead of the next World Cup," he said.

He rejected claims that the players lacked commitment, saying motivation has never been an issue in the Super Eagles camp. "The players will continue working hard, sharing ideas, and doing everything possible to improve. I have never felt there was a lack of motivation or commitment from the players. I simply believe there are several areas that need to change, and this time those changes will be essential if the team is to succeed," he said.

While Nigeria's absence hurts, Troost-Ekong said the strong showing of African teams at the tournament gives him hope. He described the gap between Africa and traditional football powers as the smallest it has ever been.

When asked if this could be Africa's breakthrough World Cup after Morocco's historic run to the semifinal in Qatar four years ago, Troost-Ekong said he believes the continent is close to taking another big step forward. "I think so. At the last World Cup, Morocco broke down those barriers and showed everyone what is possible. Based on what we have seen so far in this tournament, many African teams, players, and individual performances have shown that they can compete with the very best in the world," he said.

"I am very hopeful that this could be the World Cup where an African team goes even further than Morocco did. If they reach that stage, hopefully, they can go all the way."

With Morocco set for a round of 16 clash against France on Thursday, Troost-Ekong named the Atlas Lions as the African team he believed still carries the continent's hopes. He also praised Senegal and Ivory Coast for their performances before they were eliminated. "Morocco is definitely the first team that comes to mind. Senegal and Ivory Coast both did exceptionally well too, until their eliminations, and they were a bit unlucky," he said.