Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has broken his silence after being officially appointed as the new captain of the Nigerian national team. The announcement, confirmed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), comes following the international retirement of former skipper William Troost-Ekong.
A New Leadership Era Begins
The NFF made the appointment public on December 19, 2025, naming the Besiktas star as the man to lead the team. In a significant move, the federation also designated three vice-captains to support Ndidi: Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon, and star striker Victor Osimhen.
Ndidi, who had already been captaining the side in recent matches during Troost-Ekong's absence, now takes on the role permanently. His first comments as captain came in an interview shared on the team's official social media channels from Fez, Morocco, where the Super Eagles are camped for their AFCON 2025 group stage matches.
Ndidi Embraces "Huge Responsibility"
In his inaugural address, the new skipper acknowledged the weight of the armband. "It's a huge responsibility, and I think with the help of the players, everything will go smoothly," Ndidi stated. He revealed that he has already begun building consensus within the squad.
"I've had conversations with a couple of players, particularly the senior players," he explained. "I made them understand the reason why we are here, and also, we need the support of the staff; we are all in this together. We've had this conversation about the task ahead, and it is so important we all be on the same page."
Paying Tribute to a Predecessor and Looking Ahead
Ndidi was full of praise for his predecessor, William Troost-Ekong, whose leadership and communication skills earned him immense respect from fans and players alike. "He was a great leader, he spoke a lot for the team, he stood for the team, and he tried to take everything for the team," Ndidi said. "I admire him a lot, how outspoken he was. He was one person in the team whom everyone looked up to."
He added that Ekong had already offered him valuable advice, saying, "We spoke a couple of weeks ago and he chipped in some advice for me, I feel like he's still part of the team and he's gonna be missed."
The team's immediate focus is on the AFCON 2025 tournament in Morocco, which presents an opportunity for redemption. The Super Eagles are still reeling from the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a playoff loss to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ndidi admitted the pain of that failure is a driving force. "It was a sad one, missing out on the World Cup and this [AFCON] is another opportunity, you know they said another day another opportunity to correct the wrong," he asserted. "We'd put a smile on the faces of Nigerians and make the country proud once again, it's not going to be an easy task but we are really up for it."
In a related development, the NFF has reportedly submitted a formal petition to FIFA. The petition challenges the eligibility of some DR Congo players who featured in the World Cup playoff that eliminated Nigeria. The Nigerian football body is seeking the expulsion of the Leopards from the intercontinental playoffs, which could potentially revive the Super Eagles' World Cup hopes.
