The Victor Moses Story : How He Became A National Sensation

Victor Moses's penchant for making tricky, impressive contributions to the national team, the Super Eagles, long precedes him tormenting defenses; be it Sebastian Siani, Adolphe Teikeu, or even Aïssa Mandi and Nabil Bentaleb in CAF's Group B World Cup qualification series.

Watching him freakishly take on opponents, very few would actually remember he had came a long way.

It pre-dates him winning and converting two penalties against Ethiopia in a Nations Cup qualifier, a classy, consummate performance which rubber-stamped Nigeria's participation in the continental showpiece back in 2013, of which they emerged victorious thereafter, and just for the third time!

Whilst at Crystal Palace, the precocious prodigy set the world alight with his glitzy skills; like a booming projectile firecracker would into the skies, right from the time he made his debut for his adopted country's junior team.

After turning out for Young Lions, Moses would eventually decide to pitch his tent with the Super Eagles in 2011, not without his application to switch nationality been criminally delayed.

When he finally got his wish, the stage was set again for a magnificent shot at glory — the 2013 Afcon triumph been the higlight of it. And sure enough, he did not disappoint.

Taking a more closer look,it was particularly going to require a whole lot of mental strength in his case-amidst sad cock-tails of disappointments and career-stagnating injuries, his remarkable renaissance even at club level had been superb, the redemption-cum-accomplishment flowing markedly into his scintillating performances each time he pulls on the green and white.

Too often referred to as a maverick with the national team, with issues of skipping inconsequential national matches on notions of feigned injuries which are ostensibly wide of the mark, no one would begrudge him judging by how he had toiled his way to stardom — Achebe teaches thus," Those who had their nuts cracked for them by some benevolent spirits should not taunt the misfortunes of others".

That is to imply that in Moses's case, he had cracked his himself suffice to say it is factually certain he got little or no help.

Nigeria are through to the World Cup finals in Russia next year, no prizes for guessing who's fizz and panache had left tacklers for dead the most,or markers muddled in the distance, kicking away in frustration enroute to the Super Eagles passage.

But it is only a minute fraction of faithfuls who would remember how torrid a journey he had taken on his way to becoming a national success.

Emmanuel Chinaza