Moses Simon joins Nigeria’s 100-cap club in Madagascar win
The Paris FC winger became the fifth Super Eagle to reach a century of appearances, more than a decade after his debut in March 2015.
By John Christian Mmaduabuchi, Chief Editor
· · 2 min read
- Simon won his 100th cap off the bench in the 2-1 win over Madagascar in Uyo
- He joins Ahmed Musa, Vincent Enyeama, Joseph Yobo and Alex Iwobi on 100-plus
- He went into the game with 12 international goals, after a March 2015 debut
The gist in 30 seconds
- Simon won his 100th cap off the bench in the 2-1 win over Madagascar in Uyo
- He joins Ahmed Musa, Vincent Enyeama, Joseph Yobo and Alex Iwobi on 100-plus
- He went into the game with 12 international goals, after a March 2015 debut
Updated 10:02 WAT, 30 Sep 2026: Simon won his 101st cap as a half-time substitute in Nigeria’s 3-0 defeat by Guinea-Bissau in Bissau on Tuesday.
Some milestones arrive with fireworks; Moses Simon’s arrived with a second-half substitution and a job to do. The Paris FC winger came off the bench in Friday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Madagascar in Uyo to win his 100th cap for Nigeria, and the Super Eagles went on to complete a 2-1 comeback win.
Simon is only the fifth player to reach three figures for the Super Eagles, joining Ahmed Musa, Vincent Enyeama, Joseph Yobo and Alex Iwobi. According to Pulse Sports, Musa still leads the way with 110 appearances.
It has been a long road. Simon made his international debut on 25 March 2015 and went into the Madagascar match on 99 caps and 12 goals, according to figures published by the Nigeria Football Federation before the game.
A dream realised
Speaking after the match, Simon sounded almost surprised by what he had achieved. “It is a dream come true,” he said, explaining that he never believed he would play 100 games for his country, and that whenever he is called up he gives everything. He also thanked the coaches who have trusted him along the way.
That trust has been a theme of his career. Simon has stayed in the picture through several coaching changes, valued for his pace, his work rate and his willingness to run the flank for 90 minutes. The NFF’s acting general secretary, Emmanuel Ikpeme, described him before the game as a patriot devoted to the Nigerian cause, and the federation said it would honour him for the milestone.
His 100th appearance also came on a memorable night for younger team-mates. Debutants George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor scored the goals that overturned Madagascar’s early lead, a neat snapshot of one generation handing over to the next.
What next: Simon won his 101st cap on Tuesday, coming on at half-time as Nigeria lost 3-0 to Guinea-Bissau in Bissau, Channels Television and Premium Times reported. The Super Eagles face Russia in a friendly in Nizhny Novgorod on 6 October, before two AFCON qualifiers against Tanzania in November. Read our report from Bissau.
Sources
We checked this story against these sources. How we check
- Premium Times: 'It is a dream come true': Moses Simon celebrates 100th Super Eagles appearance
- Pulse Sports Nigeria: Moses Simon joins Musa, Enyeama, in exclusive Super Eagles club
- Vanguard: Moses Simon to become fifth Super Eagles player to reach 100 caps [Full list]
- Daily Trust: NFF to celebrate Moses Simon for 100 caps with Super Eagles
- ThisDay: Moses Simon Chasing 100th Cap as Eagles Ambush Madagascar in Uyo
- The Guardian Nigeria: AFCON 2027 race: Super Eagles survive Madagascar's scare in Uyo
- Channels Television: AFCON Qualifiers: Guinea-Bissau beat Super Eagles 3-0
- Premium Times: Guinea-Bissau thrash Nigeria 3-0
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John Christian Mmaduabuchi is a Nigerian filmmaker, creative director, and media professional with extensive experience in digital storytelling, visual journalism, and contemporary media. His Journalism interests span Nigerian and African current affairs, entertainment, culture, technology, lifestyle, media, and the people shaping public conversation. With a background in film direction and documentary production, he brings a strong visual and narrative perspective to editorial work, with particular attention to context, clarity, and compelling storytelling. John is also a creative entrepreneur focused on storytelling, entertainment, culture, and digital content. His professional experience across directing, cinematography, editing, media strategy, and emerging AI technologies gives him a broad understanding of how stories are created, distributed, and consumed in the digital age. At GistMatrix, John contributes to the development and presentation of timely, engaging, and relevant stories for a contemporary audience. His approach to editorial work is grounded in accuracy, context, responsible storytelling, and a commitment to covering stories that matter.
