By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigerian international Moses Simon received a hero’s welcome at the Stade de la Beaujoire over the weekend, as FC Nantes paid tribute to their former winger ahead of a preseason friendly match against his new club, Paris FC.
Simon, who completed a €7 million move to newly promoted Paris FC in June, returned to face his former side for the first time since ending his six-year spell with the Yellow and Green.
The match, which concluded Nantes’ preseason campaign, ended in a 3–2 victory for the hosts in front of a lively crowd of over 9,000 supporters.
Simon, now 29, was warmly applauded by fans and players alike, and was presented with a commemorative plaque in recognition of his contributions to the club.
“Thank you for the warm welcome at FC Nantes vs Paris FC. Honored by the tribute, happy to play again in front of the Nantes fans and to reunite with former teammates. Gratitude,” Simon wrote on social media following the match.
The experienced Super Eagles forward is expected to play a pivotal role in Paris FC’s return to the French top flight. His leadership and Ligue 1 experience were central to the club’s decision to secure his services.
With both sides set to meet again when the Ligue 1 season kicks off later this month, fans won’t have to wait long for another chapter in Simon’s evolving connection with his former club.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
