The Super Eagles winger is finally putting on the kind of displays for the national team that his Nigerian fans have been waiting for, impressing football watchers worldwide in the process.
The Super Eagles of
But a storming start, booking their place in the last 16 after just two games, flipped the script and reminded everyone why they are among
Instead, Eguavoen's quiet leadership has seemed to liberate this team, and his willingness to allow a talented group to express themselves is bringing the best out of a number of players.
None has shone brighter than Nantes' winger
Since making his international debut in 2015, Simon has divided opinion among the Nigerian fanbase. While his quality is highlighted by his being a mainstay under five different national team coaches to date, fans have grown increasingly frustrated by his lack of output. In his first 10 international appearances, Simon scored three goals. It has taken him a further 34 to double that tally.
The sense of frustration has only grown as Simon's club career has flourished. The Jos-born winger first caught the eye playing for Belgian club Gent in 2015, and was touted as a E20 million prospect on the basis of his flying displays for the Buffalos. In that season, Simon helped the club to its first and only league title after joining during the winter transfer window, scoring six goals in the final nine matches of the regular season.
After three years and more than 100 appearances in
In the northwest of
"When he is happy in life, he expresses it on the pitch," the former Paris Saint-Germain boss told French sports daily
Meanwhile, back home...
There has been a sharp contrast between Simon's starring performances for Nantes and his displays with the national team. His inability to transfer his club form to international duty has led many to question his quality and, worse, call his commitment to
A chief point of concern has been his crosses. While the majority of his assists in Ligue 1 have come via flighted deliveries into the box, when turning out for
The negative press came to a head on the eve of the
"I must admit that truly the game [against
It has indeed been noticeable how much more dynamic Simon has looked playing from the left, in the same role he enjoys with Nantes. Under former Nigerian coach
For Simon, the
In the previous edition of the
A welcome change
This
The most remarkable thing for this taciturn player is that it could all have been so different. Simon grew up in a military barracks and faced opposition at home as his father, Simon Ijegba, frowned on his athletic pursuits. Discipline and a military pursuit were the priority, whereas football was a passion his father described as "unpredictable and uncertain". Simon revealed that his father was worried he would not make it in the sport and urged him to follow in his military footsteps.
"I don't blame him because he wanted what he thought was good for me," Simon said. "The number of people in the community who failed in their football pursuit was more than those who made it. He felt I didn't stand a chance and he had a valid point.
"My mum [Martha Ijegba] was a lot more supportive because she saw the determination right from the beginning. My father was just being a loving father and that's what every father does."
The opposition subsided when Simon got a chance to travel to
"The disappointment with the youth national team was probably a clear hint for me to give up, but the first light came with that trip to Ajax," Simon recalled. "The fact I could then move to Slovakian club Tren?ín a few months later was the biggest chance to fulfil a dream and pursue my football career."
His career may have taken him via a disappointing
A humble man
Off the pitch, he is reserved. He rarely speaks about himself and is quick to extend individual honour to team success. While some footballers love to show off their wealth, fast cars and stupendous lifestyle on social media, Simon prefers to praise his wife Ibukun and two daughters for his success.
"Family is everything to me. First it was my parents and siblings, and it increased with my own immediate family," he said. "I don't think it's possible for me to have a successful career and a clear head without the support of my wife and children. They motivate me on a daily basis."
And as the coronavirus hit the globe in 2020, the Super Eagle made financial and food donations to struggling families caught up in the lockdown in the Nigerian cities of Jos and
Seven months before, he had come to the aid of his father's community by funding the building of water pumps in the village to halt their long-standing reliance on a stream for potable water. The lack of access to some of the most basic necessities in his father's hometown of Obagaji Agatu and other surrounding communities was something that bothered Simon.
"It's important to step in where the politicians have decided not to help," Simon, who now has a street named after him, told BBC Sport Africa. "Imagine in 2021 we are talking of people without potable water and desperately praying for protection ahead of the rains and floods.
"These people deserve more from the government because they put all their trust in them only to be disappointed. As sportspeople we can all do more to make our people happy. Some are already doing [a lot] and are very supportive of their community, but we can't stop."
The flying winger is certainly doing more than enough for his country and his folks, on and off the pitch.
Copyright New Frame. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com)., source