Nigeria’s Moses Simon is on the brink of etching his name into FC Nantes’ history books as the club’s most reliable penalty taker in over three decades. The Super Eagles winger has been flawless from the spot, and with one more successful penalty, he will achieve a record unmatched since the early 90s.
Simon’s Spot-Kick Perfection
Simon has converted six consecutive Ligue 1 penalties since 2020—without a single miss. This incredible streak puts him in elite company, surpassing recent Nantes penalty specialists like Imran Louza and Ludovic Blas, both of whom stumbled after scoring five and six in a row, respectively.
Currently, Simon’s penalty-taking consistency is rivaled only by Nicolas Ouédec, who held a similar streak between 1991 and 1996. However, if the 28-year-old Nigerian converts his next spot-kick, he will surpass Filip Djordjevic and Ludovic Blas to become Nantes’ most reliable penalty taker of the 21st century.
Leading Nantes’ Survival Fight
Simon showcased his composure yet again last weekend, scoring a crucial penalty in Nantes’ 3-1 victory over Lens. That goal marked his third successful penalty of the season and helped the Canaries move up to 14th place in Ligue 1, boosting their fight against relegation.
His standout performance also earned him a spot in WhoScored.com’s Ligue 1 Team of the Week, reaffirming his importance to Antoine Kombouaré’s side as they battle for survival.
Nantes’ Silent Marksman
Beyond his penalty-taking heroics, Simon has been a key figure for Nantes this season. In 21 Ligue 1 appearances, he has contributed six goals and seven assists, proving to be one of the team’s most consistent attacking threats.
His penalty-taking prowess places him among the league’s elite. Only OGC Nice’s Gaëtan Laborde (4/4) and Le Havre’s Abdoulaye Touré (3/3) have maintained a perfect conversion rate alongside him this season.
Impressively, Simon delivered his latest performance despite passing a late fitness test following an injury scare in training. He showed no signs of discomfort, leading Nantes’ attack with both a goal and an assist. His penalty came after Louis Leroux’s opener, before Lens threatened a comeback through Florian Sotoca. However, Mostafa Mohamed sealed the win, securing Nantes’ third home victory of the season.
One Kick from History
With 24 points from 23 matches, Nantes’ survival hopes rest heavily on Simon’s form. If his penalty streak continues, he could cement his place as one of the greatest spot-kick specialists in Nantes’ history—perhaps even Ligue 1.
One more goal from the spot, and Moses Simon will have a record 30 years in the making. Will he seize the moment?
