Former Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong has identified what he believes was the major mistake that contributed to Stanley Nwabali losing both his club momentum and place in Nigeria's national team setup.

Nwabali emerged as one of Africa's most highly-rated goalkeepers following his outstanding performances for the Super Eagles at the 2023 and 2025 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. His commanding displays between the posts helped establish him as Nigeria's undisputed first-choice goalkeeper and sparked expectations of a move to a bigger club.

Following the 2025 AFCON, where Nigeria secured a third-place finish, speculation surrounding the goalkeeper's future intensified. Seeking a fresh challenge and improved financial terms, Nwabali opted to leave South African side Chippa United before the expiration of his contract.

The 30-year-old reached an agreement with the club to terminate his deal four months before its scheduled end, a decision that initially appeared to open the door to more lucrative opportunities elsewhere.

However, Troost-Ekong believes the timing of that decision ultimately worked against the goalkeeper.

"Obviously I can't speak for Stanley, but based on how things have unfolded now, maybe it would've been a better decision to remain with Chippa," Troost-Ekong said on said on SuperSport TV.

"That's me speaking from the outside because, of course, we don't know what occurred between him and the club. It's a difficult one. I think seeing Stanley's rise over the last years has been amazing.

"I think he's been the soldier we need for the national team. He had a fantastic AFCON twice in a row, which is very difficult to do."

According to the former Watford and Udinese defender, Nwabali's biggest setback was terminating his contract outside an active transfer window.

While becoming a free agent theoretically increased his options, registration restrictions meant many clubs were unable to sign him immediately, leaving him without competitive football for an extended period.

"I think probably the situation hasn't been favourable for him because I think the time he terminated his contract with the club was outside the transfer window, which made it very difficult for him to find a new club," Troost-Ekong explained.

"So, it's been tough. I've spoken to Stanley a lot as well. I know he's been training, keeping fit. Hopefully there's going to be a good opportunity that comes his way now in the summer.

"It's a difficult one, but I am sure he's going to find a club and return back to playing his club football because we need him for the national team. For me, he's too much of a good goalkeeper to be without a club."

The absence of regular club football soon began to affect Nwabali's international standing. Despite maintaining his fitness through individual training programmes, the lack of competitive matches saw him fall down the pecking order in the Super Eagles setup.

Head coach Eric Chelle subsequently turned to Francis Uzoho, who reclaimed the number one position after remaining active with Cypriot side Omonia Nicosia. Maduka Okoye also strengthened his case with consistent appearances for Udinese, featuring prominently in Nigeria's international friendlies against Poland and Portugal.

In addition, Arthur Okonkwo's arrival following his international switch from England has further increased competition in the goalkeeping department.

With the Super Eagles set to resume competitive action in September during the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, Nwabali faces a crucial period in his career as he seeks to secure a new club and revive his position as Nigeria's first-choice goalkeeper.

For Troost-Ekong, there is little doubt about the goalkeeper's quality. The challenge now is ensuring that quality is once again showcased on a regular basis at club level.