Super Eagles player Simon alleges that Enugu Rangers declined to sign him due to his non-Igbo ethnicity.

Moses Simon, the winger for both the Super Eagles and Paris FC, has claimed that he was barred from signing with Enugu Rangers at the start of his football journey due to his non-Igbo ethnicity.

In a discussion with UrbanDwellSport, Simon disclosed that he spent three months training with the Flying Antelopes and felt he had performed well enough to secure a professional deal.

The Paris FC attacker stated that the coaching staff showed appreciation for his efforts during the trial, which raised his expectations of joining one of Nigeria's premier clubs.

“I joined Rangers and trained with them for three months. While I wasn’t signed, I was part of their training sessions. In fact, I was the captain of the 'screening' team.

“I’ve never shared this before, but it’s a shameful experience; I was released simply because I wasn’t Igbo.

“I spent three months there, and then a guy whose name I can’t recall, who was Igbo, came in and after just a week of training, they offered him a professional contract, citing my northern background as a reason.”

Despite this initial obstacle in his career, Simon has since played for several respectable clubs across Europe.

Also Read: Ex-Manchester United Star Fabio: Moses Simon A Perfect Teammate

On January 13, 2014, Simon signed a three-year deal with the Slovak team Trenčín and made his league debut in a 1–1 match against MFK Košice.

He made his international debut for the club during Trenčín’s 2014–15 UEFA Europa League campaign, coming on in the second preliminary round against Serbia's Vojvodina Novi Sad.

After stints with Gent and Levante, he joined Nantes on loan in August 2019, and by the end of that season, the French side activated the option to make the transfer permanent.

While at Gent, Simon secured the Belgian league title and Super Cup, and he also won the French Cup with Nantes.

With the Super Eagles, Simon has participated in four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments (2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025).

By James Agberebi