Winger Moses Simon is dismissing any concerns about the Super Eagles missing out on the FIFA World Cup 2026 despite a shaky start to the qualifiers. The West Africans currently find themselves in fifth position in their six-team group, having accumulated just three points from their first four matches.
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Simon was sidelined in June due to injury, missing the draw against South Africa and the defeat to Benin. Yet he remains unconcerned about Nigeria’s prospects when the campaign resumes next year. Even though only the group winners are assured a place in the finals in North America.
FIFA World Cup 2026: We have the quality, we have what it takes to succeed, the 29-year-old told BBC Sport Africa. We don’t think we’re going to the FIFA World Cup. In the last qualifiers, we were missing key players, but I believe they will be back next year to support the team. For the Jos-born Nantes forward, the stakes are especially significant.
Having missed the 2018 FIFA World Cup due to injury, he featured in both legs of the play-off against Ghana for the 2022 tournament, which the Black Stars won on away goals. I was part of those fights but I didn’t make it, so I want to play the next one, he said. I believe this is my final opportunity, so I have to give my best to seize it.
FIFA World Cup 2026: Feeling at home in Nantes
Simon, who reached his 150th appearance in France’s Ligue 1 in September, has been in excellent form this season. And shows no signs of lingering issues from the broken leg that sidelined him for several months earlier this year. The winger has delivered some of his finest performances at Nantes under coach Antoine Kombouare, who recently returned for a second stint in charge.
He’s like a father, Simon shared. He strives to make everyone feel comfortable. The most important thing for a coach is when you instil confidence in a player to perform. Following spells in Slovakia, Belgium, and Spain, Simon is now in his sixth season at Stade de la Beaujoire. And is thankful to have fully recovered from what he describes as the most challenging injury of his career.
It’s not easy being sidelined with such an injury and then coming back, he said. I push myself harder to improve and be better than I was last season. I love it here and feel appreciated by the supporters, the president, the club, and my teammates. It truly feels like home.
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Football World Cup: The Super Eagles need a clear objective
The comfort of working under Kombouare at Nantes stands in stark contrast to Simon’s experience with Nigeria. Since his debut in 2015, he has seen numerous coaches come and go, with only Gernot Rohr and Jose Peseiro having any notable tenure. Peseiro’s departure earlier this year has left a vacancy that has yet to be permanently addressed.
FIFA World Cup 2026: When asked if he wished Peseiro, who led the team to the final of the 2023 Afcon, had stayed as a coach, Simon responded: For me, I would say of course yes. But the decision isn’t mine to make. It’s the federation. My role is just to play. Nigeria is one win away from qualifying for next year’s Nations Cup under current interim coach Augustine Eguavoen, but Simon wants a permanent appointment made.
With a long-term coach, the team will have a clear objective, he explained. The coach understands the players’ abilities and character. He knows how to approach the game. But when today is this and tomorrow is different, it becomes a bit more challenging. We all want someone who can be there for the long haul.
FIFA World Cup: Honoured to represent Nigeria
Despite the coaching changes, Simon has been part of the senior team for nearly a decade. With over 70 caps, he is now among Nigeria’s all-time top 10 for appearances, alongside legends like Jay-Jay Okocha. However, he refuses to compare himself to a player who gave so much to the people. Mandatory Early Arrival for FIFA World Cup 2026.
You can play 200 or 300 matches, but trust me, Jay-Jay Okocha is Jay-Jay Okocha, Simon said, smiling. What he has contributed to Nigerian and African football, will be hard for anyone else to match. Simon was just 19 when he received his first call-up and recalls that initial opportunity to represent his country with pride.
Most of the team were players I looked up to, watching them on TV, he added. It was unbelievable. I felt like crying and still feel incredibly grateful to be part of that. It’s not my goal to be in the top 10 or reach 100 appearances. I just want to make my family proud.
Football World Cup 2026: Striving for Growth
While qualifying for the 2025 Afcon has been smooth so far, Simon and his teammates did face a difficult situation when they were stranded at an airport overnight before a qualifier in Libya last month. The Super Eagles later boycotted the match in protest of their treatment and were awarded a 3-0 victory by the Confederation of African Football, a ruling that Libya is contesting.
FIFA World Cup 2026: Simon prefers not to revisit the incident, opting instead to focus on the upcoming matches against Benin and Rwanda. There’s a strong fighting spirit in the group, and everyone is eager to play, he said. The main goal is to qualify for the Afcon. Simon also hopes to motivate his club to improve on their 14th-place finish last season.
Nantes last claimed the Ligue 1 title in 2001 and boasts a prestigious list of former players, including Didier Deschamps, Marcel Desailly, and Claude Makelele. This is a historic club you can feel it in the atmosphere, said a hopeful Simon. I would love to see us finish in the top five again. That’s what the supporters, the president and the players all want.
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