Eden Hazard award? Nigeria’s Moses Simon ahead of PSG & Monaco stars for new Ligue 1 prize

Nigeria international Moses Simon has emerged as the frontrunner for a newly introduced Ligue 1 award honouring the best dribbler in the French top flight, Soccernet.ng reports.

After earning a nomination for the 2025 Marc-Vivien Foé prize, Moses Simon is back in the spotlight in France again as he is leading the charge for a newly-launched Ligue 1 Best Dribbler award.

The French league body, LFP, announced on Friday the introduction of a new individual award celebrating the division’s top dribblers.

Set to be awarded at the end of the season, the prize aims to recognise players who excel in one-on-one situations and thrill crowds with their technical artistry.

Though the official list of nominees is yet to be released, statistics from Sofascore after 27 rounds of Ligue 1 show Nantes winger Moses Simon leading the pack with 56 successful dribbles. He is followed closely by Strasbourg’s Diego Moreira and Angers’ Farid El Melali, both on 50.

Other notable contenders for the award include Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé, Monaco duo Maghnes Akliouche and Eliesse Ben Seghir, Marseille’s Amine Gouiri, Rayan Cherki of Lyon, Mason Greenwood of Getafe (on loan at Marseille), and Rennes’ Désiré Doué.

The award will be the first of its kind in Ligue 1 and comes with a high-profile ambassador – Belgian legend Eden Hazard. The former Lille and Chelsea star has lent his silhouette to the design of the trophy and is seen in a promotional video teasing the launch.

Of the award, former Real Madrid playmaker Hazard said:

“My friends, I am excited to join Ligue 1 in the creation of a unique award in the world, honoring those artists we admire for their flow, boldness, and a style that makes the crowd go wild. Hope you enjoy the nominees as much as I do!”

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Moses Simon up for Ligue 1’s Africa Best Player award

Simon’s name also features prominently in another major recognition this season. The 29-year-old Nigerian international has been shortlisted for the 2025 Marc-Vivien Foé Award – given annually to the best African player in Ligue 1.

This is his fourth nomination, following previous recognitions in 2020, 2022, and 2024. Simon hopes to follow in the footsteps of compatriots Vincent Enyeama and Victor Osimhen, who won the award in 2014 and 2020 respectively.

The FC Nantes forward has been one of the shining lights in a challenging season for his club, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists in 25 league matches. The former Levante man has been directly involved in nearly half of Nantes’ goals this campaign.

Named in honour of the late Cameroonian international Marc-Vivien Foé, the award is presented jointly by RFI and France 24 to celebrate the outstanding contributions of African players in the French top flight.

Simon is one of 12 players shortlisted, alongside high-profile names like PSG’s Achraf Hakimi (Morocco) and OGC Nice striker Evann Guessand (Ivory Coast). The winner will be announced later this year.