I disappointed my father figure by choosing Nigeria over England — Victor Moses

 

Ex-Super Eagles star Victor Moses revealed how a prominent male figure in his life pressed for him to represent the English national team.

Super Eagles legend Victor Moses recently paid homage to former Crystal Palace chairman Jordan Simon, who he revealed pressed him to play for the Three Lions. 

Moses was born in Nigeria, Kaduna precisely. However, his parents were killed in religious riots when he was 11, which caused him to leave for England, where he sought asylum and was granted. He was taken in by a foster family before ending up in Crystal Palace’s Academy. 

He got his football education in England and represented the three Lions in the U-16s, U-17s, U-19 and U-21s; hence, he was eligible to represent the senior team; however, he opted to play for the country of his birth, Nigeria, against the wishes of Jordan, who served as a father figure. 

What Moses said 

The now-33-year-old has since left the international scene, as he retired from the Super Eagles in 2018, following Nigeria's exit from the World Cup in Argentina. 

However, he is still active in club football, and after spending the last three years in Russia playing for CSKA Moscow, he made a sensational return to England this summer, signing for Championship side Luton. 

Speaking to talkSPORT after his signing, he lauded Jordan, who owned Crystal Palace from 2000–2010 and now works as a pundit with the British media outlet. He explained how he was a father figure to him and how he made an effort for him to play for the Three Lions.

“To be honest with you, that’s my chairman, you know,” Moses said. “He's a great man. I've always respected him. Everyone has at Palace. As a kid, he's always looked after me as his own son.

“He's always had a belief in me, and I still remember him talking about me playing for England. But I think I might have let him down to go play for Nigeria, to be honest! But that's life and that's football. Anything can change and anything can happen at any time. 

“And, you know, he's a great man and I've always loved him. He's someone that has always encouraged me a lot from my Palace days up till now.”

Moses went on to have a storied career for the Super Eagles, scoring 12 goals in 38 appearances. 

He was a member of the revered cast that won the African Cup of Nations in 2013. He scored two goals and provided two assists in the tournament, including the one to Sunday Mba against Burkina Faso in the final that sealed victory.

He is also part of the few Nigerian players who can lay claim to scoring in the World Cup, having scored in the 2-1 defeat to Argentina at the 2018 Mundial.