Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has disclosed that he tried to convince Canada striker Promise David to represent Nigeria at international level instead of Canada.

Born in Ontario, David considered playing for Nigeria and even featured for the country’s Olympic team in a 2023 U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania before eventually committing his international future to Canada.

Because the matches he played for Nigeria’s U23 side were competitive fixtures, he required FIFA approval to switch his sporting nationality. The approval was granted in February 2025.

The Royale Union Saint-Gilloise forward has impressed at the ongoing tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, recording either a goal or an assist in both appearances he has made from the bench.

Troost-Ekong confirmed that he held discussions with the striker about the possibility of representing the Super Eagles.

Speaking on SuperSport, he said:

“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 also praised David for making an immediate impact, including scoring in Canada’s 2-1 defeat to Switzerland in their final group-stage match of the 2026 World Cup.