World Cup 2026: Troost-Ekong acknowledges the merit of South Africa.

The former captain of the Super Eagles, William Troost-Ekong, acknowledged that South Africa fully deserved its qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The Bafana Bafana secured their ticket to the World Cup by finishing at the top of their qualifying group, notably ahead of Nigeria. This achievement allowed the South African team to return to the world stage for the first time since 2010. In contrast, the Super Eagles missed qualification for a second consecutive edition. Nigerians saw their dream fade after a defeat on penalties against the Democratic Republic of Congo in the African playoff final.

Asked by Supersport, Troost-Ekong expressed that the consistency shown by the South Africans throughout the qualifiers made the difference. “The Bafana Bafana were consistent during the qualifiers. On our side, we fell behind from the first matches and dropped too many points. In the end, they got their qualification and we didn’t. They therefore deserve their place in the World Cup,” said the central defender. South Africa will play its last group stage match against South Korea on Thursday with the ambition of continuing its journey in the competition.