Former Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong has backed South Africa’s place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting that Bafana Bafana earned their qualification on merit, despite criticism of their performances so far.
His comments come amid lingering frustration in some Nigerian quarters over the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the tournament.
South Africa, who finished top of a qualifying group that included Nigeria, booked their ticket to the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. However, their performances on the global stage have drawn mixed reactions, following a 2-0 defeat to hosts Mexico and a 1-1 draw with Czechia in their opening matches.
“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.
