William Troost Ekong Biography
William Troost Ekong is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a center back for Watford Football Club in the English Championship and for the Nigerian national team.
The 29-year-old defender was born on 1st September 1993 in Haarlem, Netherlands to a Dutch mother and Nigerian father. He stands at 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 172 pounds (78kg).
State of Origin
William Troost Ekong’s state of origin is Ekiti State, Nigeria. His father is Nigerian while his mother is Dutch. Ekong grew up in the Netherlands but opted to represent Nigeria at the senior international level despite also being eligible to play for the Netherlands and Cameroon.
Early Life and Parents
Troost Ekong’s parents are Mr Adeoye Ekong, his father who is Nigerian, and Hillegonda Troost Ekong, his Dutch mother. His father relocated from Nigeria to the Netherlands to study and settle there.
William Troost Ekong’s father
Mr. Adeoye Ekong is from Oke Ayedun in Ikole Local Government Area in Ekiti State, Nigeria. His father’s family belongs to the royal family of the ruling class in Ikole Ekiti.
After being born in the Netherlands, William Troost Ekong spent most of his early life in the northern Dutch city of Groningen where he started playing football from a young age.
Football Career Stats and Teams Played For:
William Troost Ekong has had an illustrious football career across Europe. Some quick insights into his career stats include:
- Total Appearances across all teams: 286
- Goals Scored: 12 goals
- Assists: 6 assists
Some key highlights of William Troost Ekong’s football career journey so far include:
- 2007-2012: Started playing football with amateur teams in the Netherlands –
VV Gruntemeer & FC Groningen’s youth team. - 2012-2013: FC Groningen’s Eerste Divisie reserve team
- 2013-2015: FC Dordrecht – Made 55 professional appearances in the Dutch Eredivisie
- 2015-2016: BK Hacken – Played 30 times in the Swedish Allsvenskan
- 2016-2018: Haugesund – 77 appearances in Norway’s Eliteserien
- 2018-2020: Udinese – 66 appearances in Italy’s Serie A
- 2020-Current: Watford – 32 appearances in the Premier League and Championship
In 2018, William Troost Ekong transferred to Italian club Udinese where he spent two seasons, making 66 appearances across Serie A, Coppa Italia, and other domestic competitions.
In September 2020, he signed for English second-tier club Watford where he helped them gain promotion to the Premier League in his first season at the club. Troost Ekong has made over 30 appearances for Watford till date.
International Career
Despite being eligible to play for Netherlands and Cameroon as well, William Troost Ekong chose to represent Nigeria instead at senior international level.
Ekong made his international debut for Nigeria in 2015 against Congo in a friendly match.
He has been a key member of Nigeria’s national team squad at major tournaments like the 2018 FIFA World Cup where Nigeria was eliminated in the group stage & the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations where Nigeria finished 3rd.
To date, Troost Ekong has 51 caps for the Nigerian national football team – scoring 2 goals in the process.
William Troost Ekong’s Age As mentioned already, William Troost Ekong was born on September 1, 1993 in Haarlem, the Netherlands. As of February 2023, he is 29 years old.
William Troost Ekong’s Wife
William Troost Ekong is a happily married man. His wife’s name is Edwina Ekong. The couple tied the knot in March 2022 in a private ceremony in the Netherlands. Details about William Troost-Ekong’s wife are scarce but she seems to keep a low profile away from the public eye. The couple do not have any children yet.
On his marriage in 2022, Ekong was quoted saying, “We thank God for the opportunity to share this special moment as we begin our journey together.”
William Troost Ekong’s Salary and Net Worth
Playing in Europe’s top leagues for clubs like Udinese and now Watford, William Troost Ekong earns a sizable salary which contributes to his growing net worth.
As per early 2023/24 estimates, William Troost Ekong has a net worth of about $5 million with the Nigerian defender earning an annual salary of around $1.5 million playing for Watford FC.
These earnings could rise further if Ekong helps Watford gain promotion back to the lucrative Premier League where salaries and sponsorship deals are higher.
Conclusion In summary
William Troost Ekong is an accomplished Nigerian center-back who plies his trade professionally in Europe’s top leagues while also being a key member for Nigeria’s national team with over 50 caps since 2015.
Some key takeaways about William Troost Ekong include:
- Born in Netherlands with Nigerian heritage
- 29 years old as of 2023
- Married to Edwina Ekong
- Plays for Watford FC in the English Championship
- Has played over 286 matches professionally
- Net worth over $5 million
- Current salary about $1.5 million per year
So that concludes this extensive profile on William Troost Ekong’s biography, age, state of origin, wiki details, wife, salary as well as his overall net worth.
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