Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has revealed why he switched nationalities to play for Nigeria.

The 30-year-old had previously played for the Netherlands U-19 and U-20 teams before deciding to represent his father’s country, having been born to a Nigerian father and a Dutch mother in the Netherlands.

Ekong was instrumental in Nigeria’s success at AFCON 2023, where the team finished as runner-up. He scored three goals and won the tournament MVP award, being a rock at the back.

“I identified with Holland throughout my teens. I never really felt Dutch because my skin is not the same as theirs even though I’m light-skinned. In the same way, when I came back to Nigeria, my father stayed in Ikeja, they always said ‘see oyinbo.’

“So I think it was like a search for identity. When I was about 18, I felt like I wanted to know a bit more about my roots. I always wanted to play for the Super Eagles but it felt intangible at the time,” Ekong said on The Hindsight Podcast.

Ekong, who made his debut under the late Stephen Keshi, said he couldn’t believe it when Keshi called him and wanted him in the Super Eagles squad.

“I wanted to play for Nigeria. After my first debut season in the Eredivisie, Stephen Keshi called me out of the blue. I looked at my phone about five times just to be sure it wasn’t a prank call.

“We got talking, and he told me he liked what I was doing and wanted me to join the Super Eagles. I said yes.”

“He asked if I wanted to tell my parents about it, but I told him I couldn’t wait, and that’s how the story started.

“We made the switch, and it was good. Vincent Enyeama was quite helpful, and I was nervous, but I haven’t looked back since,” the AFCON 2023 Player of the Tournament added.

The PAOK defender was not called up for the World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin by Finidi George, despite stating he was fit.

However, he hopes to join the Super Eagles in their next fixture.