Moses Simon

Footballer

▸ Source: Wikidata

Simon was part of the Nigerian team that finished as runners-up in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2023.

Simon began his professional career at AFC Ajax, where he made his debut in July 2013.

He won the Belgian Pro League with KAA Gent during the 2014-15 season.

Based on: Wikipedia, Wikidata

Biography

Early Life

Moses Daddy-Ajala Simon was born in Jos, Nigeria, where he was raised in a family with a military background, as his father served in the Nigerian Army. He honed his football skills at the renowned GBS Academy, which has produced several notable Nigerian players, including Ahmed Musa. His talent quickly attracted attention from various clubs, leading to a pre-contractual agreement with Dutch giants Ajax in May 2013.

Club Career

Simon made his professional debut with Ajax in July 2013, scoring in a pre-season friendly. However, he was not signed by the club and subsequently joined FK AS Trenčín in Slovakia in January 2014. His career progressed as he moved to KAA Gent, where he won the Belgian Pro League in the 2014-15 season. After a stint with Levante UD, he joined FC Nantes in 2019, where he continued to showcase his skills as a forward. As of 2020, he plays for FC Nantes in Ligue 1, contributing significantly to the team's performance.

International Career

Simon made his debut for the Nigeria national team in March 2015 and quickly became a key player. He scored his first international goal later that year and was selected for Nigeria's squad in the 2018 World Cup, although he missed the final cut due to injury. He has since participated in multiple Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, helping Nigeria secure third place in 2019 and 2025, and was part of the runner-up team in 2023. Notably, he reached his 100th international cap in September 2026.

Legacy

Throughout his career, Simon has not only made a name for himself in club football but has also been a vital part of the Nigerian national team. His contributions have earned him several honors, including the Belgian Super Cup and the Coupe de France with Nantes. He was also recognized as a Member of the Order of the Niger for his achievements in football, solidifying his legacy in Nigerian sports.

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Wikidata

Gallery

Career & Clubs

Club career

Early career

Born in Jos, his father served in the Nigerian Army before his retirement. Simon is a product of the famed GBS Academy, the same football academy in Nigeria that produced the likes of Ahmed Musa. He was linked with Nigerian Premier League club Kaduna United, as many professional clubs abroad were also eager to sign him. On 10 May 2013, it was announced that Simon had signed a pre-contractual agreement with Dutch club Ajax to join them in pre-season training, having previously been linked with Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. He made his first appearance for Ajax on 13 July 2013 in a pre-season friendly match against De Graafschap, coming on as a substitute and scoring the third and final goal in the 64th minute of the match, in a 3–0 away win. He made a further appearance on 17 July, playing for the reserves team Jong Ajax in a pre-season friendly match against Voorschoten '97, scoring the second goal in the 5–0 home win. On 25 July 2013, it was announced that Ajax would not sign the young Nigerian, ultimately waiving him from the pre-season roster. After that announcement, discussions commenced with AS Trenčín; Ajax partner club in Slovakia, which is owned by former Ajax player Tschen La Ling.

AS Trenčín

On 13 January 2014, Simon signed a three-year contract with the Slovak side Trenčín. He would join his compatriot Kingsley Madu. He made his league debut in a 1–1 draw against MFK Košice starting on the right wing alongside Gino van Kessel who…

▸ Source: Wikipedia

International career

Simon received his first call-up to the Nigeria national team by coach Daniel Amokachi in March 2015 and made his debut on the 25th of the same month in an international friendly against Uganda, when he replaced Anthony Ujah after 59 minutes in the game. Simon scored his first goal for Nigeria in an international friendly against Niger on 8 September 2015, the second in a 2–0 win. He was selected by Nigeria for their 35-man provisional squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics. In May 2018, he was named in Nigeria's preliminary 30-man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. However, he did not make the final 23 due to injury. He was included in the country's 23-man squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. On 11 December 2025, Simon was called up to the Nigeria squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. On 25 September 2026, he made his 100th international appearance in a 2–1 victory over Madagascar during the 2027 AFCON qualification.

▸ Source: Wikipedia

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 17 May 2026

International

As of match played 6 October 2026

As of match played 31 March 2026 Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Simon goal.

▸ Source: Wikipedia

Club: AFC Ajax (2013–2013)
Club: KAA Gent (2015–2018)
Club: Nigeria national under-20 football team (2013–)
Club: Nigeria men's national football team (2015–)
Club: FC Nantes
Club: Levante UD (2018–2020)
Club: FC Nantes (2019–2020)
Club: FC Nantes (2020–)
Club: FK AS Trenčín (2014–2015)
National team: Nigeria

Legacy

Honours

Gent

Belgian Pro League: 2014–15 Belgian Super Cup: 2015 Nantes

Coupe de France: 2021–22 Nigeria

Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2023; third place: 2019, 2025 Unity Cup: 2025 Orders

Member of the Order of the Niger

▸ Source: Wikipedia

Clubs

Nigeria national under-20 football team2013current
Nigeria men's national football team2015current
FC Nantes2020current
FC Nantescurrent
AFC Ajax2013–2013
FK AS Trenčín2014–2015
KAA Gent2015–2018
Levante UD2018–2020
FC Nantes2019–2020

Played together with

Discussion

Opinions of fans — not verified facts.

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