Paris FC forward Moses Simon has expressed deep gratitude to his former club, FC Nantes, after receiving a heartfelt tribute during a pre-season friendly between the two sides on Saturday.
The 29-year-old Nigerian international, who spent six memorable seasons with Nantes before departing this summer, was warmly welcomed back to the Stade de la Beaujoire, as fans and former teammates honoured his contributions ahead of Paris FC’s 3–2 victory.
Simon, who joined Paris FC following their promotion to Ligue 1, was presented with a special commemorative plaque, received a guard of honour, and was cheered by home supporters in an emotional return to the ground he once called home.
Taking to social media after the match, Simon wrote via X (formerly Twitter):
“Thank you for the warm welcome at FC Nantes. Honoured by the tribute and grateful to play again in front of the amazing Nantes fans. It was also special to reunite with my former teammates.”
Simon left Nantes earlier this summer in a €7 million move after an impressive spell that saw him become a key figure for Les Canaris. He initially arrived on loan from Levante in 2019 before making the move permanent in 2020.
Over six seasons, he made 201 appearances, scoring 37 goals and providing 42 assists. Simon was instrumental in Nantes’ Coupe de France triumph in 2022, and helped the club to back-to-back cup final appearances in 2022 and 2023.
A fan favourite, Simon also played a crucial role in keeping Nantes afloat in Ligue 1 through challenging campaigns. His final season at the club was particularly strong — contributing eight goals and 10 assists as Nantes finished 13th, safely avoiding relegation.
Now at Paris FC, Simon has featured in two pre-season matches and is expected to play a major role as the club prepares for its first top-flight campaign in decades.
