Former Super Eagles star names new captain after Ekong’s retirement

WILLIAM Troost-Ekong led the Super Eagles at the AFCON || Image credit: Imago

Former Super Eagles star names new captain after Ekong’s retirement

Hassan Abdulsalam 10:51 - 05.12.2025

Oliseh backs Wilfred Ndidi as next Super Eagles captain.

Former Super Eagles head coach Sunday Oliseh has thrown his full support behind Wilfred Ndidi to become the next captain of the Nigerian national team, describing the midfielder as the most natural leader in the current squad.

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Sunday Oliseh || Imago Oliseh backs Eguavoen to lead Super Eagles to glory || Imago

This follows Ekong's official announcement of his retirement from international football on Thursday, just days before the 35th AFCON in Morocco.

What Oliseh said

Speaking on his podcast, Oliseh Insight, the former Juventus and Borussia Dortmund star highlighted that Ndidi, who recently joined Besiktas, has earned immense respect from his teammates through consistency, professionalism, and commitment.

“At the moment, I think nobody doubts the respect the players have for Ndidi. And he’s a player that plays every game,” Oliseh said.

The former coach, well known for making bold leadership decisions, including appointing Ahmed Musa as captain over John Mikel Obi during his tenure, stressed that the Super Eagles’ next skipper must be a true leader on and off the pitch.

According to Oliseh, the captaincy role goes beyond wearing the armband, and Nigeria needs someone who can inspire the team rather than simply carry out instructions from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The discussion around who will lead the Super Eagles has grown louder as Nigeria prepares for its 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

The three-time African champions have been drawn in Group C, where they will face Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania for a place at the tournament in Morocco.