Troost-Ekong insists Super Eagles aren’t too reliant on Osimhen

Troost-Ekong also argued that when Super Eagles play well, every “individual” in the team shines.

By Kehinde Okeowo

Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong has said suggestions that he and his teammates are overly reliant on Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen is not true.

He made this known on Monday at the  pre-match press conference of Nigeria’s clash with Zimbabwe.

Osimhen’s brace secured Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over Rwanda in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Friday.

The match marked the 26-year-old’s first appearance in the World Cup qualifiers after missing the previous four games.

In his absence, the Super Eagles failed to win a single match in the qualifiers.

However, the forward, who is currently on loan at Galatasaray, made an immediate impact on his return, scoring two first-half goals at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda. 

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Speaking ahead of Nigeria’s World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe on Tuesday at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo,  Troost-Ekong insisted that he and teammates do not depend on any single player.

He further argued that when the Super Eagles play well, every “individual” in the team shines. 

“When the team plays well together, every individual shines. Even if you look at the Rwanda game, you have to highlight more than just Victor Osimhen’s performance,” the former Watford defender said.

“I think almost every player played his role. The substitutes contributed as well, and even players who featured out of position, like Yusuf [Alhassan], made an impact.

“There are different factors at play, so I don’t think it’s fair to say we rely on one player—that’s not the mentality of the team.

“We work hard together, we support each other, and when we do that, we achieve more as a team,” Troost-Ekong added.