Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has converted to Islam in Qatar.
The 33-year-old Nigerian defender reportedly recited the Shahadah, the Islamic declaration of faith, in Doha, according to Qatari newspaper Al-Arab on Wednesday.
A video of the former Nigeria skipper reciting the testimonies of faith has also surfaced online, with respected Islamic cleric Dr Muhammad Salah sharing the footage on his verified Facebook account.
Troost-Ekong currently plays for Qatar Stars League side Al-Ahli, having moved to the Gulf region in 2024.
He first joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Khaleej in the summer of 2024 before switching to Al-Ahli in January 2026 on a one-and-a-half-year contract.
The centre-back has so far made 14 appearances for Al-Ahli across competitions, including one appearance in the current campaign.
Born in Haarlem, Netherlands, Troost-Ekong began his youth career with Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur before launching his senior career in the Netherlands with FC Groningen and FC Dordrecht.
His career subsequently took him to Belgium, Norway, Turkey and Italy, where he played for Gent, Haugesund, Bursaspor and Udinese. He later moved to England, spending three seasons with Watford, before spells with Salernitana and Greek giants PAOK.
He also helped PAOK win the Greek Super League title in 2023/24, before moving to Saudi Arabia.
For Nigeria, Troost-Ekong made his senior debut in 2015 and went on to become one of the country’s most experienced defenders.
He earned 83 caps and scored eight goals for the Super Eagles between 2015 and 2025.
His biggest international moment came at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, where he captained Nigeria to the final and scored in the championship match against the hosts.
Despite Nigeria’s 2-1 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire, Troost-Ekong was named Player of the Tournament by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
He was also named in CAF’s official AFCON 2023 Best XI, alongside fellow Nigerians Ola Aina and Ademola Lookman.
Troost-Ekong represented Nigeria at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, as well as the 2016 Olympic Games, where the country’s U-23 side won a bronze medal. CAF describes him as one of Nigeria’s defining defenders of the modern era.
In December 2025, he announced his retirement from international football after Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. CAF said his final appearance came in Nigeria’s World Cup playoff defeat to DR Congo.
His conversion to Islam now marks a new chapter in the career of the former Super Eagles captain, who has spent much of his professional life playing across Europe and the Middle East.
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