By Wale Mustapha
Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle has hailed winger Moses Simon for his unwavering commitment and passion for representing the country at the international level.
Simon earned his 81st cap in Nigeria’s 1–1 draw against Russia on Friday, further solidifying his role as one of the most experienced and dependable members of the national team.
The FC Nantes winger has contributed 10 goals and 15 assists in his international career, but it is his work ethic and enthusiasm that continue to draw praise from the coaching staff.
Chelle revealed that Simon is consistently eager to join up with the national team whenever international windows open.
“I am so proud of Moses. Whenever it’s a FIFA free day, he calls me saying he wants to come,” Chelle speaking to Flashscore.
“Most times, I tell him to calm down, but he insists, ‘No, I want to play.’ This guy wants to play every time for the Nigerian team, every time he wants to win for the country.”
Simon’s energy and consistency have made him a key figure for Nigeria across multiple Africa Cup of Nations campaigns and World Cup qualifiers.
As the Super Eagles continue preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Chelle will look to rely on Simon’s leadership and drive both on and off the pitch.
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.
