William Troost-Ekong, the former captain of the Nigeria national team and current player for Qatar's Al-Ahli, has announced his conversion to Islam, according to Qatari press reports on Wednesday.
The "Al-Arab" newspaper reported that Ekong pronounced the two testimonies of faith, declaring his conversion to Islam. The move drew a significant reaction across Qatari and Arab sporting circles.
A video of the 33-year-old Nigerian defender pronouncing the two testimonies quickly spread across social media.
Ekong has built a long professional career since 2013, turning out for a host of clubs in some of the world's most prominent leagues. Chief among them were his spell with Watford in England, from 2020 until 2023, and his time at Udinese in Italy, from 2018 until 2020.
His first move to the Arab region came in the summer of 2024, when he signed for Saudi Arabia's Al-Khaleej. He then joined his current club, Qatar's Al-Ahli, last January.
At Al-Ahli, he has played 14 matches across all competitions, including a single appearance in the current season.
On the international stage, Ekong won 83 caps for Nigeria between 2015 and 2025, scoring 8 goals. He reached the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and was named best player of that edition.
Retirement from international football followed last November, after the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
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