Super Eagles defender William Troost-Ekong has responded sharply to criticism from former teammates Troy Deeney and Michael Lahoud following Nigeria’s 4–1 win over Gabon in the semifinal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs in Morocco.
Ahead of the match, both Deeney and Lahoud had questioned Troost-Ekong’s influence and leadership within the Nigerian squad. But after coming off the bench to help the Super Eagles seal a dominant extra-time victory, the 30-year-old made it clear he was not impressed by their comments.
In a video released by Victor Modo, Troost-Ekong described Lahoud’s remarks as ill-informed.
“I found it very disrespectful,” he said. “I actually had to search what he said. If he’d taken time to check my record or understand my role, he would probably have said something completely different.”
Troost-Ekong went on to emphasize that leadership in the Super Eagles is not tied to starting positions or armbands.
“We have several leaders in this squad. Osimhen is a leader. Ndidi, Iwobi, Moses Simon — these guys all carry responsibility,” he explained. “Being on the bench doesn’t erase anything I’ve done. I’ve played 83 times for Nigeria.”
He also addressed the comments made by Deeney, a former Watford colleague.
“About my old teammate Troy… I was disappointed,” Troost-Ekong said. “I backed him when he was captain at Watford, and I later captained the club as well. He could easily have called me instead of going public. If he doesn’t respect me, maybe we should take back the Nigeria jersey I gave him.”
Nigeria will face DR Congo on Sunday in the playoff final as they continue their push toward a spot in the Intercontinental Playoffs in March 2026.
