Nigeria forwards Moses Simon and Terem Moffi have been shortlisted in the 2024 Prix Marc-Vivien Foe, an award designed to celebrate the best African Player in Ligue 1. Organizers RFI and France 24 will announce the winner on May 13.
The award is one of the most coveted individual awards in the game with last year's winner, Olympique de Marseille's Chancel Mbemba also making the shortlist, bidding to win back-to-back gongs.
Super Eagles winger Simon and forward Moffi, who both had a good run with Nigeria at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024) tournament held in Ivory Coast by helping the team finish second behind the hosts, have put up decent performances for their respective teams, Nantes and Nice respectively, in Ligue 1 this season.
A surprise exclusion from the list is the league's current 8th top scorer Mostafa Mohamed; the Egyptian, a teammate of Simon's, has scored 8 goals and provided one assist, and had a good showing with the Pharaohs at AFCON 2024.
Moses Simon and Terem Moffi go head-to-head
Simon who plays with FC Nantes and Nigeria recently suffered a season-ending injury during last month's international break and he will be hopeful that his teammates who are all mired in a relegation battle will be able to stay up by the end of the season. Before his injury, Simon had been one of the league's most creative players with impressive performances across the board.
The 27-year-old has started 21 times for the French outfit in the league and made one substitute appearance this season, scoring 3 goals and providing six assists. His side are currently 14th on the log and two points above the relegation zone.
Like Simon, Moffi, who is also a key part of the Super Eagles current squad, had seen his side get off to a flying start in the league. The year 2023 was good for the big man upfront but he has recently been seen struggling with his side. However, he was also in the final shortlist for the awards last season.
After his goal last weekend in which he registered his 50th goal in the French top flight, he joined the league of some extraordinary Nigerians who had graced Ligue 1. The 24-year-old is the youngest player on the list of highest-scoring Nigerian footballers in Ligue 1 and he is already fitting in as one of the most prolific players in the French topflight.
Since he joined Nice from Lorient last year, he's scored 10 goals and 2 assists in 23 appearances and with four goals in his last five matches, his form serves as a big advantage for Nice in their push for a place in Europe next season.
Nigeria's Victor Osimhen won the award in 2020 while he was with Lille FC.
Other African stars on the shortlist
2013 winner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Olympique de Marseille and Gabon has justified his inclusion with the veteran striker notching up 22 goals in all competitions and his input has seen his side remain in Europe this season, quarter finals of the Europa League and they currently sit 5th in the log.
Lille and Algeria's Nabil Bentaleb shook off an early-season injury to become emerge as first choice, CAF's 2023 Young Player of the Year Lamine Camara of Senegal who plays for Metz is also on the list and rounding up the shortlist is Oumar Diakité, Amine Gouiri, Morocco's Achraf Hakimi and Paris Saint-Germain, Chancel Mbemba, Youssouf Ndayishimiye and Ivorian defender Wilfried Singo.
The Prix Marc-Vivien Foe
The Prix Marc-Vivien Foé is an award in an honour of the late Cameroonian player Marc-Vivien Foé awarded to the best player who represents an African national football team in Ligue 1.
The jury is composed of nearly 100 journalists specializing in French and African soccer from all media. According to the rules of RFI and France 24, players who have played for an African national team and who have not changed their nationality since then, and who have played at least 15 matches in Ligue 1 this season, are eligible for the awards.
Full nominees of Prix Marc-Vivien Foé 2024
Oumar Diakité (Stade de Reims)
Wilfried Singo (AS Monaco)
Terem Moffi (OGC Nice)
Moses Simon (FC Nantes)
Amine Gouiri (Stade Rennais)
Nabil Bentaleb (LOSC)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (OM)
Chancel Mbemba (OM)
Lamine Camara (FC Metz)
Achraf Hakimi (PSG)
Youssouf Ndayishimiye (OGC Nice)
