William Troost-Ekong was the AFCON 2023 MVP in Ivory Coast…
Captain of the Super Eagles of Nigeria William Troost-Ekong has revealed Eric Chelle’s men will settle for nothing less than a gold medal at the AFCON 2025 tournament, Soccernet.ng reports.
Nigeria came close in Ivory Coast last year, with the 32-year-old scoring in the final against the hosts, but it wasn’t enough as they just fell short.
In less than two months, Ekong will be leading Eric Chelle’s men on another journey in Morocco, and this time, he wants nothing but victory.
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Ekong eyes AFCON win
A bronze medal in 2019, and a silver medal in 2024 isn’t enough for the former Watford defender who’s about to embark on his final AFCON campaign.
“The team is excited,” the one-time Greek Champion said in an interview with CAF Online.
“This year has been quite tough with all the qualification games, but it’s been amazing to end the group with a positive note and, of course, the playoffs we’re heading into in Morocco before AFCON.
“Last AFCON left a lasting impression for all of us. I feel like this group is really excited to have another chance to try and win the trophy.
Quizzed if Nigeria can go one further than they did in Ivory Coast, the former Udinese man said:
“That’s the only goal. We learned so much from the last AFCON final. Looking back, Côte d’Ivoire were the better team on the day, but we gained experience—some of our players were in a first major final for their nation.
“Now the target is to get there again, use that experience, reach the latter stages and know what to do to go all the way, hopefully.
“Heart, togetherness and consistency. Côte d’Ivoire showed real spirit—every setback seemed to fuel belief.
“From my experiences—third place, then second—momentum has to grow through the tournament.
“New stars often emerge; it’s not always the names you expect. Start well, manage emotions, don’t get carried away when things go right or panic when they don’t.
“Tournaments are won in phases: grow through the group, then approach each knockout game calmly,” Ekong concluded.
While the AFCON 2025 is high on Ekong’s priority list, a win against Gabon in the FIFA World Cup play-off next month is of utmost importance.