Troost-Ekong Nigeria remains hopeful as younger players learn from Super Eagles’ painful 2026 World Cup miss ahead of AFCON 2025

William Troost-Ekong has expressed optimism for the future of the Super Eagles, despite Nigeria’s painful 2026 World Cup qualification miss.

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The 32-year-old defender and his teammates fell 4-3 on penalties to DR Congo in the African play-off final held at Rabat’s Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium on Sunday. Despite taking the lead, Nigeria could not maintain momentum through 120 minutes of intense football.

The defeat marks a consecutive World Cup absence for the Super Eagles, following the 2022 disappointment. Troost-Ekong, reflecting on the team’s prospects, hinted that he would not feature in the next World Cup cycle but remains hopeful for the squad’s younger players.

“I think the boys stepped up. And it happens. I think they will learn so much from this moment, and I’m sure when the next moment comes, they will be better prepared and hopefully that will be a chance to make a difference,” Troost-Ekong told Pooja Media.

Nigeria’s World Cup history dates back to their debut in 1994. The team has reached six tournaments, achieving the round of 16 on three occasions (1994, 1998, and 2014). They failed to qualify in 2006, 2022, and now 2026.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) described the latest failure as “a moment of profound sadness” for Nigerian football. In a statement, the NFF apologised to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Federal Government, and millions of fans, acknowledging the team’s inability to deliver the outcome the nation deserved.

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Troost-Ekong and the Super Eagles will have a chance to regroup in under a month for the 2025 AFCON, scheduled from December 21 to January 19, 2026, where the team will look to restore confidence and build on lessons from their recent setback.