FC Nantes secured their Ligue 1 survival in emphatic fashion on the final day of the 2024/25 season. Mainly thanks to a sparkling performance from Super Eagles winger Moses Simon. The Nigerian international was at the heart of a 3-0 victory over Montpellier. A result that not only kept Nantes in the top flight but also underscored Simon’s status as one of the league’s most influential wide men this season.
Nantes entered the match teetering on the edge of the relegation playoff zone. Knowing that anything less than a win could have spelled disaster. The tension inside the Stade de la Beaujoire was palpable, but Simon quickly took care of things. In the 18th minute, his run drew a foul in the box, earning a penalty which he dispatched himself to give Nantes the lead. Francis Coquelin doubled the advantage just after the half-hour mark.
In the 79th minute, Simon turned provider, delivering a precise assist for Matthis Abline to seal the victory. It also confirmed Nantes’ Ligue 1 status for another season. The Nigerian winger was substituted late on to a standing ovation. Capping a night that will live long in the memory of Nantes supporters.
This decisive performance was a fitting end to what has been Moses Simon’s most productive campaign in France. In 32 league appearances, Simon registered eight goals and 10 assists, making him Nantes’ second-highest scorer and one of the top creators in Ligue 1. His 10 assists are surpassed only by Lyon’s Rayan Cherki and Auxerre’s Gaëtan Perrin, both with 11. Notably, Simon became the first Nigerian player to reach double digits in assists in a single season in any of Europe’s top-five leagues.
Compared to the previous season, Simon managed just three goals and five assists, hampered by injuries and a disrupted campaign.
With Nantes finishing 13th on 36 points and avoiding the relegation playoffs, much credit goes to their Nigerian talisman. As speculation swirls about his future, Moses Simon’s heroics have ensured he will leave, if he does, as a club legend.