William Troost-Ekong Confirms His Fitness Status Ahead Of Surgery

Super Eagles vice-captain, William Troost-Ekong, has confirmed that he is out with an injury he sustained while representing Nigeria at the just concluded 2023 AFCON.

William Troost-Ekong won the best player of the tournament at the 2023 AFCON after scoring three goals and helping Nigeria to keep four clean sheets in seven games.

Unfortunately, the 30-year-old defender, contracted to Greek club, PAOK, sustained a ruptured biceps femoris in his right leg during the 2023 AFCON final against the hosts, Ivory Coast, on February 11. He, however, played throughout the game as the hosts defeated Nigeria 2-1 to win the title.

Before then, Troost-Ekong suffered a hamstring injury in the 2023 AFCON group stage, which forced him to miss Nigeria’s 1-0 win over Guinea-Bissau in the last game of the group stage.

After missing the game, he played all the remaining games before he sustained his current injury in the tournament’s final.

The said injury will force him to stay out of football for three to six months as he is set to undergo surgery this week.

“As many know, I got injured during AFCON. Disappointingly, this injury has turned out to be more serious than first thought. I have always given everything and pushed myself. Every player has played with pain at some point in their career to fight for a club or country. It’s part of the game,” Troost-Ekong said on Tuesday.

“I managed to continue in the knockout stages, and I was willing to continue to do the same now to help PAOK push for the prizes in the league and Europe too. But after more assessments and consultations it was the best decision long-term to undergo surgery now. My full focus is on getting back better than ever before.”

Due to the lengthy period William Troost-Ekong will stay sidelined from an injury he sustained in an international competition, PAOK are entitled to get compensation from the world football governing body, FIFA, if they choose to write FIFA to that effect.