William Troost-Ekong: Player Profile, Bio, Net Worth, Career, Other Unknown Details

• William Troost-Ekong was born in the Netherlands
• The defender started his youth career in England
• His estimated net worth is above $1.5 million

William Troost-Ekong plays the position of a center-back for the English Premier League outfit Watford and the Super Eagles of Nigeria. The captain of the Nigerian national team was born in the Netherlands, but he plays for the country of his father.

He made his first appearance in the green and white jersey for Nigeria in 2015 and has won over 50 caps. He had his secondary education in London, where his youth career began in Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur.

Before his move to the Hornets, the defender previously played for Groningen, Dordrecht, Gent, Haugesund, Bursaspor, and Udinese. Read through to know more about his personality, career, net worth, and other intriguing facts.

Player Profile

• Full Name: William Paul Troost-Ekong
• Date of Birth: 1st September 1993
• Age: 31 years old
• Place of Birth: Haarlem, Netherlands
• Height: 1.91 m (6 feet 3inches)
• Weight: 74kg (163lbs)
• Citizenship: Nigeria, Netherlands
• Position: Defender- Center-Back
• Foot: Right
• Current Club: Watford (The Hornets)
• Joined: 29th September 2020
• Contract Expires: 30th June 2025
• Current Market Value: €5 million

Who Is William Troost-Ekong?

Troost-Ekong was born as one of his parents’ three children on the 1st of September 1993 in Haarlem, the Netherlands. His father is from Akwa Ibom, Nigeria and his mother Eleanore Troost is from the Netherlands. He grew up alongside his two younger siblings; Emily (sister) and Everest (brother).

As per his schooling, the center-back had his secondary education at Hockerill Anglo-European College in Bishop’s Stortford in England.

See Also- Samuel Chukwueze: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Nigerian Player

How The Defender’s Football Journey Began

The 31 year-old Nigerian defender started his youthful club career in England with Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur, before returning to where he was born to launch his senior career. While there, he played for FC Groningen and FC Dordrecht.

Subsequently, many clubs abroad started showing interest in him, and was linked with a move to the Scottish Premiership side, Celtic, and many others. He joined the Belgian side KAA Gent in 2015 and was loaned to FK Haugesund in Norway.

Two years later, he transferred to Bursaspor of the Turkish Super Lig, but he only spent only a year with the club before joining Udinese of the Italian Serie A on 17th August 2018. He was spectacular in his first season with the Italian club, helping them to finish the campaign with a positive outcome.

In September 2020, the Nigerian center-back joined Watford, who were then playing in the EFL Championship. His five-year contract with the Hornets would expire in June 2025. Currently, Watford is playing in the EPL after gaining a promotion in 2021.

While on the international level, Troost-Ekong debuted for Nigeria in an AFCON qualifying encounter with Chad on 13th June 2015. After making three appearances for the super Eagles the following year, he was named in Nigeria’s 35-man provision squad for the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Similarly, the defender was part of the squad that represented Nigeria at the2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, 2019, and 2021 AFCON in Egypt and Cameroon, respectively. His 89th-minute goal against South Africa secured the Super Eagles’ place in the semifinals of the 2019 AFCON.

Prior to playing for Nigeria, the center-back represented the Netherland at the under-19 and under-20 youth teams, but his loyalty to Nigeria is unquestionable. Today, he is at the heart of Nigeria’s defense.

William Troost-Ekong’s Career is Paying Off

The 31 year-old is earning a pretty decent amount of money from his career. He receives a weekly salary of £27, 500 ($37,794) and £1.4 million ($1.9 million) annually from Watford.

He also makes money from his endorsement deals with different brands, which include; Coca-Cola, Adidas, TAG Heuer, and Nike among others. All these puts together contribute to his estimated net worth of above $1.5 million.

If he continues playing at this level, his net worth would grow as the years go by.

These Are Details You Probably Didn’t Know About The Nigerian Defender

1. Is he married?

The Super Eagles defender is married. He tied the knots with his longtime girlfriend, Bambi in a private wedding ceremony on 17th October 2021 in London. Several football stars like Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi, Leon Balogun, Moussa Sissoko, and many other superstars graced the occasion.

Troost Ekong and Bambi started dating in 2014 and welcomed their first son, Oscar in 2018 after the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

2. What was his greatest challenge in football?

The hardest challenge the defender ever encountered was leaving England at the age of seventeen to begin his senior club career. It was difficult for him to switch from playing academy football to first-team football. As mentioned earlier, he played academy football at Fulham and Tottenham, before he started playing first-team football in the Netherlands.

3. He donated a percent of his salary to charity

In 2018, the Super Eagles center-back joined the click of players and managers donating one percent of their salaries to aid Juan Mata’s Common Goal charity project. The project aimed at supporting football-based charities around the world.

4. This is how the defender prepares for a game

To give his best in any game he plays, he takes his time to prepare beforehand. He does this by listening to music, doing some stretching exercises, and putting all his focus in one direction.

5. How tall is he?

The Watford center-back is quite tall. He is 6 feet 3 inches (1.91m) tall and has a body weight of 74kg (163lbs). His height gives him an edge over short players especially in the aerial battle for the ball.

Complete profile of William Troost-Ekong