Troost-Ekong Reveals Efforts to Convince Promise David to Play for Nigeria Instead of Canada

Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has disclosed that he made efforts to convince Canadian striker Promise David to represent Nigeria at international level before the forward opted to play for Canada. 

Troost-Ekong on Promise David has become a talking point following the striker’s impressive performances at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

The defender revealed that discussions were held with the player regarding the possibility of committing his international future to the Super Eagles. 

Promise David, who was born in Ontario, Canada, was eligible to represent Nigeria through his heritage and had previously featured for Nigeria’s Olympic team during a 2023 U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania. 

However, he later decided to switch allegiance and represent Canada at senior international level. The move required FIFA approval because the matches he played for Nigeria’s U23 side were official competitive fixtures. 

Approval for the nationality switch was granted in February 2025, allowing him to become eligible for Canada. Speaking about the situation, Troost-Ekong acknowledged that he did everything possible to persuade the forward to choose Nigeria. 

According to the former Super Eagles captain, "His rise has been meteoric, and of course, he is of Nigerian descent, so we had a conversation about playing for Nigeria. 

I tried my best to convince him." Troost-Ekong on Promise David also highlighted the striker's rapid development in recent years. 

The Royale Union Saint-Gilloise forward has emerged as one of Canada's standout performers at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, contributing goals and assists after coming off the bench in key matches. 

The Nigerian defender further praised David's impact during Canada's campaign, particularly after the striker scored in Canada's 2-1 defeat to Switzerland in their final group-stage encounter. 

While Nigeria ultimately missed out on securing his international commitment, Promise David continues to attract attention with his performances on the world stage. 

His decision to represent Canada marks the end of what could have been a potential Super Eagles career, despite efforts by Troost-Ekong and other stakeholders to bring him into the Nigerian national team setup.