Super Eagles' stand-in captain, William Troost-Ekong, has been awarded the title of Best Player of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Troost-Ekong displayed exceptional performances throughout the tournament, despite Nigeria's loss in the final against hosts Cote d’Ivoire, where they suffered a 2-1 defeat.
The 30-year-old defender's remarkable contributions earned him the prestigious Man of the Tournament award. He scored three crucial goals during the competition, including Nigeria's only goal in the tense encounter against the Elephants.
Troost-Ekong's first goal came on matchday two when he converted a penalty to secure a narrow victory for Nigeria over the Ivorians. He then scored his second goal from the spot in the semifinals against South Africa, leading Nigeria to victory in the penalty shootout.
His goal tally at AFCON 2023 establishes him as the highest-scoring defender in the history of the competition, with an impressive total of five goals.
While Troost-Ekong's individual achievement was celebrated, Equatorial Guinea's Emilio Nsue emerged as the tournament's top scorer. Additionally, South Africa's Ronwen Williams claimed the title of Best Goalkeeper, edging out Nigeria's Stanley Nwabali. Despite Nwabali conceding twice against Cote d’Ivoire, he managed to secure four clean sheets at the AFCON, one fewer than Williams.
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