Moses Simon
Moses Simon has reached 100 appearances for the Super Eagles, joining an exclusive group of Nigerian internationals to hit the landmark.
Simon reached the century during Nigeria’s 2-1 win over Madagascar in Friday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Uyo.
He is the fifth Nigerian to make 100 senior international appearances, following Ahmed Musa, Vincent Enyeama, Joseph Yobo and Alex Iwobi.
But Simon’s milestone is about more than the number.
He made his Nigeria debut against Uganda on March 25, 2015, at the age of 19. More than 11 years later, he has remained part of the national team through several changes in coaches, teammates and playing generations.
Simon has played under seven coaching regimes, including Sunday Oliseh, Gernot Rohr, Augustine Eguavoen, José Peseiro, Finidi George and current coach Éric Chelle.
He has also had to compete for his place as Nigeria’s attacking options have continued to change.
That makes his 100 appearances a reflection of consistency as much as longevity.
Before the Madagascar game, Simon had made 99 appearances, scoring 12 goals. His international record also includes 23 Africa Cup of Nations finals appearances and 22 World Cup qualifying matches.
Nigeria marked the occasion after the game with a framed Super Eagles shirt carrying “SIMON 100”.
There was no elaborate ceremony. Simon stood on the pitch with the shirt, marking a milestone that had taken more than a decade to reach.
For Simon, 100 caps is the latest chapter in a Nigeria career that began in 2015 and has survived several different eras of the Super Eagles.
