By Charles Pemu 
UYO—Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has issued a passionate plea for national unity and support as the Nigerian national team prepares for a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Benin Republic on Tuesday in Uyo.
In a pre-match press conference on Monday, the veteran defender called on Nigerians to turn out en masse, stressing that the critical match requires a collective effort, not just from the players.
“It is a very difficult job if you describe that to anyone, understanding the emotion and pressure,” Ekong said. “This is not a game that I, the coach, or the players can win for us. We need to have a shared responsibility; everyone has to step up.”
He added: “And of course, playing in the stadium, I would love to see it full. I hope that tomorrow everyone will appreciate that and support the team.”
The 32-year-old also urged his teammates to improve their performance against the Eric Chelle-led Benin Republic side, noting that they are the only team to have defeated Nigeria during the current qualification stage.
The Super Eagles enter the match in a precarious position, sitting third in Group C with 14 points, just three points behind leaders Benin (17 points) and one point behind South Africa (15 points). Nigeria remains undefeated in their last five qualification games, but their fate now rests on a complex scenario.
To secure the automatic World Cup spot, Nigeria will need to defeat Benin by a significant margin and hope that South Africa loses to Rwanda in their own final fixture. The complexity of the task underscores the captain’s call for unified national support.