Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has embraced Islam after reciting the Shahada in Doha, Qatar.
The 33-year-old Nigerian defender, who currently plays for Qatar League side Al-Ahli, was seen in a video reciting the two testimonies of faith in Arabic.
The video was shared by Kuwaiti preacher Mansour bin Nasser Al-Khaldi, who was present with Ekong during the declaration. Al Jazeera reported that Ekong also expressed his desire to read more and learn about Islam.
Qatari newspaper Al-Arab was among the first media outlets to report the development, stating that the former Nigeria captain announced his conversion after reciting the Shahada while in Doha.
Troost-Ekong enjoyed a distinguished international career with Nigeria, making 83 appearances for the Super Eagles and serving as captain since making his debut for Nigeria in 2015.
He was a key figure in Nigeria’s run to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final in Côte d’Ivoire, where he scored three goals and was named Player of the Tournament.
He retired from international football in 2025 after a decade with the Super Eagles.
Troost-Ekong’s decision to embrace Islam has attracted significant attention across the football community, with the video of his Shahada declaration spreading across social media.
Neither Troost-Ekong nor his representatives has publicly explained what influenced his decision to embrace Islam. For now, the available reports only confirm his declaration of faith and his stated desire to learn more about the religion.
