Troost-Ekong: ‘I wish we are here presenting Your Excellency with the AFCON 2023 Trophy’

Super Eagles on-field captain and player of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Willaim Troost-Ekong says he wished he and his team were presenting the trophy of
the tournament after an appreciating President Bola Tinubu and a grateful nation showered National Honours and material gifts on players and officials of the
team.

‘I wish we are here presenting Your Excellency with the trophy, but that is not the case despite giving our very best to the campaign. We have two people in
this team who have gold medals, each sitting on either side of me (Ahmed Musa and Kenneth Omeruo).

‘In 2019, we won bronze medals. This time, we won silver medals. I believe that at the next competition, we will strike gold,’ Troost-Ekong said at the
reception held for the team at the Council Chambers, State House, Abuja on Tuesday.

President Tinubu had earlier told the players how well they represented the country.

‘I am very proud of you. This country is proud
of you because you gave us great excitement. Your performance is confirmation that we can achieve so much as a nation if we all come together and unite for
positive purposes, despite our diversity.’

‘You worked very hard and navigated your way through to the Final. You lifted our spirit; you made us proud and you made us smile.’

The President then conferred National Awards of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) on all the players and their officials, as well as President of NFF,
Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau and the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi.

All the 25 players and their officials are now also proud owners of a flat each in the Federal Capital Territory, as well as a plot of land each also in the
Federal Capital Territory.