AFCON 2025 - ‘Something is going on there’ - Mikel Obi questions Ekong’s retirement

Troost-Ekong, who recently captained the national team, announced his retirement just weeks before the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), a decision Mikel finds highly unusual.

Last month, Troost-Ekong reportedly led a training boycott in Morocco over unpaid bonuses from the NFF ahead of a crucial World Cup qualifier. 

Later, despite being the team's designated penalty taker, he was left on the bench during a decisive penalty shootout against DR Congo, which Nigeria ultimately lost.

Mikel has claimed that issues within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) may be to blame for the player's decision.

Speaking on his "Obi One" podcast, Mikel expressed his concern over the state of the team's AFCON preparations, describing the situation as a "show."

"You cannot have your team captain, your leader, retire three weeks leading up to a major tournament. You cannot have that happen," Mikel stated. 

"Something is going on there that's not been made public. Nobody knows what's going on, but I think there's something."

"I know Troost-Ekong really well, and he's not the sort of guy who quits. He's a very passionate guy; he loves the country," Mikel explained. 

"I was there when a young Ekong came into the national team [in 2015] and saw how passionate he was... For him to quit three weeks before the tournament, something is not adding up."

The former Chelsea midfielder added that even if Troost-Ekong was no longer a guaranteed starter, his leadership and experience would have been invaluable to the squad.

While Troost-Ekong has publicly stated that his decision was personal and had been considered for some time, Mikel remains unconvinced and points the finger at the NFF's management.