‘Most of us will be supporters’ – Moses Simon says most current Super Eagles stars won’t play at 2030 World Cup

Super Eagles winger Moses Simon has admitted that the majority of Nigeria’s current national team players are unlikely to feature at the 2030 FIFA World Cup, following the country’s failure to qualify for the 2026 edition.

The Paris FC winger described the missed qualification as a painful setback for the squad, while expressing optimism that a new generation of Nigerian footballers will carry the country’s hopes in the future.

Nigeria failed to secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, extending the Super Eagles’ absence from football’s biggest tournament after also missing out on the 2022 edition.

For Simon, the disappointment is particularly painful. The winger was left out of Nigeria’s final squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and has yet to play on the global stage.

Speaking in an interview with Urban Dwell Sport, Simon said the desire to represent Nigeria at the World Cup remains strong among the players.

He said, “The players care about the World Cup more than anyone. They want to go to the World Cup. Even if they don’t make the team, they want their friends to go to the World Cup.”

The experienced winger believes the current Super Eagles squad will undergo significant changes before the next World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco in 2030.

By then, many of Nigeria’s established stars will be in their thirties, paving the way for younger talents to take over.

He added, “Sorry to say, about 90 or 95 per cent of the players in the current team… I don’t think they will play the next World Cup because the young players are coming up.

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“So possibly, in 2030, most of us will be supporters, supporting the mission.”

Simon, who recently celebrated his 31st birthday, would be 35 by the time the next World Cup begins.

Other experienced Super Eagles players, including Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, and Victor Osimhen, will also be older as Nigeria looks to build a new-look squad.

Despite acknowledging that his own World Cup dream may never become reality, Simon remains hopeful about the future of Nigerian football.

The winger believes the country’s emerging talents will ensure the Super Eagles remain competitive on the international stage.

He added, “My father didn’t dream of playing football, but I am playing. If I don’t play at the World Cup, my son will. If my son doesn’t, I have players in the academy who will.”