Moses Simon: Nantes’ unstoppable penalty king eyes historic feat

• Moses Simon's last performance over Lens earned him a place in WhoScored.com’s Ligue 1 Team of the Week
• The Super Eagles forward will surpass Filip Djordjevic and Ludovic Blas in club history
• This season, Simon has contributed six goals and seven assists in 21 league appearances

Super Eagles forward Moses Simon is on the verge of achieving a remarkable milestone at FC Nantes, as his flawless penalty record puts him in contention to become the club’s most reliable spot-kick taker in over 30 years. 

The Nigerian winger has converted six consecutive Ligue 1 penalties since 2020, a feat unmatched by any Nantes player since Nicolas Ouédec’s streak between 1991 and 1996.

Simon’s composure from the spot has seen him surpass recent penalty takers like Imran Louza and Ludovic Blas, both of whom failed to extend their streaks after scoring five and six in succession, respectively. 

If he successfully converts his next penalty, he will overtake Filip Djordjevic and Ludovic Blas to become Nantes’ most consistent penalty scorer of the 21st century.

Over the last weekend, Simon once again displayed his reliability from 12 yards, confidently dispatching a crucial penalty in Nantes’ 3-1 victory over Lens. 

His goal helped lift the Canaries to 14th place in Ligue 1, boosting their fight to avoid relegation. His performance was so influential that he earned a place in WhoScored’s Ligue 1 Team of the Week.

Despite suffering a minor injury scare in training, Simon proved his resilience by passing a late fitness test and delivering a stellar performance. He played a key role in Nantes’ attack, not only scoring from the spot but also providing an assist. His penalty came after Louis Leroux had given Nantes the lead, while Lens briefly threatened a comeback through Florian Sotoca’s goal. However, Mostafa Mohamed’s late strike secured all three points for the hosts.

With six goals and seven assists in 21 Ligue 1 appearances this season, Simon has been one of Nantes’ standout performers. His penalty prowess sets him apart, with only OGC Nice’s Gaëtan Laborde (4/4) and Le Havre’s Abdoulaye Touré (3/3) maintaining a 100% conversion rate alongside him this season.

Now, as Simon edges closer to cementing his place in Nantes’ history books, all eyes will be on the Nigerian star the next time the Canaries are awarded a penalty.

“I rushed to meet his dad,” ex-NFF boss Pinnick reflects on convincing Lookman to join Super Eagles

Previously, TheRadar reported that Amaju Pinnick, former president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has revealed the extensive efforts that culminated in Ademola Lookman’s first competitive appearance for the Super Eagles in March 2022. 

The revelation comes after Lookman was crowned African Footballer of the Year on Monday, December 16 in Morocco, a milestone Pinnick regards as validation of the groundwork laid during his tenure.