The new Super Eagles star was a revelation in his first season in the Ligue 1 as his goals helped Lorient avoid relegation
Terem Moffi has shared his experience of playing against the big players in the French Ligue 1, saying it was a surreal moment for him.
Moffi moved to the French top-flight last October, signing for Lorient from Belgian Jupiler League side KV Kortrijk for €8.00m
Despite arriving more than a month after the competition started, Moffi was one of Ligue 1's top scorers this season.
The 21-year-old scored 14 league goals to help Lorient beat the drop. Moffi got off to a good start, scoring on his debut before his incredible run of form at the turn of the year, which saw him score 13 times.
It's indeed a brilliant first season for the youngster in a Ligue 1 with a host of star names. Sharing his experience in an interview with Soccernet, Moffi revealed he got emotional when he came up against Kylian Mbappe's PSG.
“I remember the first game against PSG,t walking into the Parc des Princes, just emotional,” Moffi told Soccernet at the Super Eagles camp ahead of the friendly games against Cameroon.
“You have flashbacks of when you were in Nigeria, playing on sand pitches, no grass and stuffs like that.”
“Then in the Parc des Princes, the home of PSG, it's incredible.”
“Then you see Mbappe coming out to warm up. These guys you watch on TV, you admire, then you are sharing the same pitch with them, it was really incredible.
” I mean, you can't have words to express a feeling like that, that's the truth,” Moffi added.
Also read: Exclusive Video: Terem Moffi on his love for FIFA
For a young player playing against the likes of Neymar, Mbappe and Di Maria for the first time in a new country, it can be overwhelming, but for Moffi, he never got starstruck when he came up against them despite the emotions he felt.
When asked if he gets starstruck, Moffi said: “At this stage of my career, no.”
“I get a little bit of goosebumps, but I don't really get like starstruck, you know this is Mbappe, and I start shivering and being scared, no I am not.”
The Ligue 1 is blessed with many quality defenders, but PSG's Presnel Kimpembe is the one who stands out for Moffi, saying he's the toughest defender he has faced.
“It has to be Kimpembe, Moffi said when asked who is the toughest defender he has ever faced.
“The guy is so strong, and he reads the game so well too.”
“I remembered we had a corner kick, and I think he was the one man-marking me, so I tried to shield him away, and he was just there like, what's this guy trying to do.”
“You know I was trying to shield someone, and he was not even moving, you know there's level to this.”
“He was so strong, intelligent, and he was quite fast too,” Moffi added.
But despite the difficulties of facing the World Cup winner, Moffi came out on top when they clashed in January, scoring the winner in Lorient's 3-2 win over PSG, and the Nigerian international was quick to acknowledge the feat.
“But I scored against him, so peace,” Moffi concluded.
