“In the team of the tournament” – Fans shower praises on exciting Super Eagles star after another excellent showing

Several players have excelled for Nigeria at the 33rd edition of the continental championship, but none has been as outstanding as Nantes livewire forward

Nantes ace Moses Simon has been by a country mile the most outstanding footballer in the Super Eagles squad if comments from fans on social media are anything to go by.

Simon has been a breath of fresh air for a team not given much of a chance to excel at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations after missing the quality of qualifying top scorer Victor Osimhen, last tournament’s top scorer Odion Ighalo and the Belgian league top scorer Paul Onuachu.

Aside from his exciting plays on the flanks, the 26-year-old has contributed significantly to four of the six goals the Eagles have struck in Cameroon.

Simon’s cross led to Nigeria’s winner against Egypt. He assisted Samuel Chukwueze’s opener versus Sudan before scoring a sublime third in the 3-1 defeat of the Falcons of Jediane.

And Simon created Nigeria’s crucial second goal in the 2-0 humbling of Guinea-Bissau, with his snap shot following a Messi-like mazy run ricocheting off the crossbar and allowing William Troost-Ekong to tap home from close range.

In addition to his assist, Simon, who spent only 33 minutes on the pitch, was again on overdrive, completing seven dribbles and winning seven duels.

CAF named Troost-Ekong as the game’s man of the match, but Simon ended with the highest rating of any player on both sides, as per Whoscored.

And many fans, who took to Twitter to express their thoughts, believe the Nantes star has already played himself into the team of the tournament.

“Moses Simon is in the team of the tournament already after 3 matches” 

Simon has been pulling off Austin Okocha-like dribbles in Cameroon, making himself a nightmare for defenders of Egypt, Sudan, and Guinea-Bissau.

It is what he has been doing all season for Nantes in France, but fans particularly like the stunts he created against the Wild Dog.

Simon has been at Nantes for a while now, becoming arguably the Yellow Canaries’ best performer.

Some fans are rooting for him to move to the Premier League as they are convinced his skill-sets make him the ideal player to shine in the world’s most glamorous league. 

And certain fans cannot have enough of the winger’s dripping magic.

https://twitter.com/guru_kalexis/status/1483901113397137415

https://twitter.com/Nwankpa_A/status/1483903830135877637

https://twitter.com/omaakatugba/status/1483902554203377664

After winning all three group games – for only the second time in history – Nigeria made it to the Round of 16 as one of the favourites tipped to go all the way. Simon’s top form could be vital to the Super Eagles title hopes.