Moses Simon shares his tough journey to becoming a pro footballer

Super Eagles winger Moses Simon has shared the struggles he faced before becoming a professional footballer.

He said he lived on garri and water for months while chasing his dream.

Simon, who plays for Paris FC in France, made this known in an interview with Urban Well Sports published on Thursday. He talked about the hunger, unpaid trials, and uncertainty he faced before finally getting his big break.

Reflecting on his time at Rangers, the 29-year-old revealed that he spent nearly three months without a contract or salary, surviving on whatever little food he could find.

“I stayed at Rangers for almost three months with no salary. Nobody knew how we survived at night. I wasn’t living in camp.

“I ate once a day, in the afternoon. In the mornings I’d take garri and water, and at night, garri and water again, for months.

“They kept saying, ‘We’ll pay your salary, don’t worry.’ But they didn’t pay me because I wasn’t signed. I was one of the trialists they were screening,” he said.

Despite the tough conditions, Simon said he kept giving his best in training, believing that his hard work would eventually lead to a contract.

“I actually became like the captain of that group of trialists. Even the supporters would come and ask, ‘Where’s that small one at Rangers?’

“Every day they’d drop 20 or 30 players, new ones would come, get dropped, and I was still there. My performance never got me dropped because I was consistent every single day,” he said.

The Super Eagles forward also shared that his struggles went beyond football. He took on menial jobs to survive while pursuing his career.

“I made a lot of sacrifices. I don’t even know which one hurts the most. I was a farmer while playing football. I sold tomatoes for a living, sold fish too.

“This is probably the first time anyone is hearing this. I farmed here in Kaduna, carried produce on my head, all while still going to school and playing football.”

Simon said these tough experiences shaped how he views life and inspired him to help young footballers facing similar issues.

“It’s part of why I want to help young people. If anyone wants to help, it’s a choice. I suffered a lot back then, and it’s part of why I don’t want other young people to go through the same thing,” he said.

He added, “I only have a few close people helping me. I don’t need government help for myself, but they can help the people. Helping young boys and girls off the streets will go a long way.”

The winger, who has played for Nigeria in several Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, said his journey shows that hard work can overcome even the toughest challenges.

“I’ve been through rejection, hunger, and disappointment. But I never stopped believing. That’s why whenever I see young players today, I tell them to keep pushing because when your time comes, nobody can stop you.