How I Played At AFCON 2023 With Painful Injury – Troost Ekong

Super Eagles vice-captain William Troost-Ekong has disclosed how he managed to play with injury at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

Troost-Ekong, 30, sustained the injury in Nigeria’s second group game against the hosts.

The powerful centre-back missed the team’s last group game against Guinea-Bissau but returned to play every minute of his country’s remaining four games in the competition.

The PAOK Salonica of Greece defender scored three crucial goals for the Super Eagles at AFCON 2023 and was named Player of the Tournament.

In an interview with CNN World Sports, Troost-Ekong explained he managed the injury.

“I had a torn bicep femoris, which is basically the outside part of the hamstring. It happened during the tournament and I think I had a small tear initially in the second group stage game against Cote d’Ivoire. I managed to play on and then after the final I had another MRI, and we realised it was really ruptured,” he recounted.

“It was very sore playing with it, and I couldn’t really train after the second group game. I was just trying ice to keep the swelling down.

“I might do half an hour of training the day before each game, and then during the game a combination of painkillers and adrenaline mean you can get through it. The day after each game it was definitely showing as I was struggling to walk.”

The former Watford player had a surgery on the injury last month.

Troost-Ekong is expected to be back in action in May.

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