Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong
Former Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong has backed South Africa’s right to be at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting Bafana Bafana earned their place at football’s biggest stage on merit, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
His statements come despite widespread criticism of their performances so far — and lingering resentment in some Nigerian quarters over the manner of the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify.
South Africa topped a qualifying group that included Nigeria to secure their ticket to the tournament being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, but their showing on the global stage has so far prompted more questions than answers. They were beaten 2-0 by hosts Mexico in their opener before a 1-1 draw with Czechia in Atlanta.
“I think I probably agree in a sense that the opening game wasn’t where everyone expected them to be,” Troost-Ekong said during a round-table session with journalists in South Africa, where he is working as a pundit for SuperSport.
