Former Nigeria Star Calls Out William Troost Ekong, Questions His Leadership Ability

• Former Nigeria international, Brown Ideye, has underscored a major issue affecting the Nigerian football team
• The Super Eagles have followed up an AFCON finals appearance with damaging 2026 World Cup qualifier results
• Ideye said the Super Eagles lack a proper leader of Vincent Enyeama's ilk and the current captain, William Troost-Ekong, lacks authority

The Nigerian national team has been facing a crisis in the last few weeks, both on and off the pitch.

Finidi George's tenure as coach began on the wrong foot, and Victor Osimhen verbally targeted the new coach on social media.

Former Super Eagles star, Brown Ideye, has said the team lacks leaders like Joseph Yobo and Vincent Enyeama.

The three-time African champions failed to beat South Africa at home earlier this month and suffered a surprise defeat to Benin in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

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Multiple outlets reported that Finidi George resigned after those two damaging results, but there has been no official communication from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to confirm that.

Osimhen's scathing attack caused a stir in football circles, but things calmed down in the last two weeks.

Ideye calls out Troost-Ekong

Nigeria reached the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final but lost to hosts Ivory Coast. It was their first final since they won it in 2013. William Troost-Ekong captained the team and was named the best player at the tournament.

Ideye thinks the PAOK defender is not fit to be a leader in the current team, per Complete Sport.

“A leader has to be someone who has been in that team for years and years. In the present Super Eagles, we don’t have those players like Enyeama and Yobo anymore,” Ideye said.

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“Who do you want to give a leader, Ekong? It’s not about having the captain’s armband. Can Ekong sit Osimhen, Chukwueze, and Lookman down and speak to them? No. I don’t see Osimhen sitting down with Ekong and hearing everything he has to say without saying something back.”

Troost-Ekong lauds Osimhen

Sports Brief earlier reported on Troost-Ekong lauding Victor Osimhen, highlighting what makes the African Footballer of the Year special.

The defender listed Osimhen's work ethic, speed, and power as attributes that make the star striker one of a kind.