Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle has picked 17 year old Habila Simeon in his list of players for the Nigeria U23 team ahead of the Olympic qualifiers against DR Congo, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
At just 17 years old Simeon has already made a huge career step by wearing the captain armband for the Nigeria U20 team, where he caught the attention of Chelle.
In the list made public by the coach, Habila is the youngest. A proof of his undoubted talent which Chelle believe will be of use for the U23 team in the back to back games against DR Congo.
Despite his age, he plays with a level of calm and maturity that makes him stand out on the pitch. He is known for his great vision, smooth ball control under pressure, and natural leadership qualities as seen at the U20 AFCON.
His impressive performances for Nigeria didn’t take long to catch the attention of teams across Europe, notably from Belgium and Sweden where AIK made a strong push for his signing, aiming to replicate their success after selling Nigerian talent Zadok Yohanna to Premier League outfit Brighton & Hove Albion.
For now it appears Simon has chosen a carefully planned route for his club career by agreeing to join Slovakian club AS Trenčín.
Rather than jumping straight to a high-pressure, top-tier European league, joining Trenčín gives him a proven path to regular first-team minutes.
The Slovakian side is famous for developing Nigerian talent, having previously launched the European careers of Super Eagles stars like Moses Simon Samuel Kalu and recently Sani Suleiman.
With an international U23 call-up at 17, leadership experience as U20 captain, and a move to Europe on the horizon, Habila Simon is quickly becoming one of the most exciting young names to watch in Nigerian football.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
