Happy Birthday to Victor Moses

Today sees the 33rd birthday of Victor Moses, currently a player at Spartak Moscow having previously worn the colours of Inter Milan for a single season.

Playing in Russia for three years now, Moses has endured high and lows with the club presently struggling in the league. The Nigerian footballer has recently scored his first goal in the tournament in a game won 3-2 against Orenburg.

Moses said, “After the end of my loan with Inter, I could have returned to wear black and blue. We had also spoken with Conte but then for issues I believe were also economic nothing was done.” He mentioned his discussions with Chelsea about a move to Spartak Moscow. “Honestly, I looked up Google and informed myself about the club. I saw several videos and discovered it has a great history. So I said yes. I’m happy now. I always say to my friends that Spartak Moscow is the Manchester United of Russia”, Moses said.

Reflecting on his career, Gabriele Lippi, on esquire.com, recently offered a comprehensive description of his journey where football was not just a game but it became his salvation. Moses was playing football when his parents were murdered by Islamic extremists. If not for football, Moses would not have a life as he knows it, he would have been dead too.

“The fact is that Moses doesn’t play football, Moses lives for football,” wrote Lippi. Moses credits the sport for giving him a chance to escape the traumas of his life, finding opportunity in England which led to asylum and a professional football career.

Moses’s football career kick started from Crystal Palace where he made his professional debut at 16, replacing John Bostock. Recollections of his time at the club spoke of his “great story of resilience and determination”. The club’s website recently asked its fans what they were doing at 16 years old, when they were studying or beginning to work or playing soccer in the park. Moses was launching a sparkling top-level career.

Following Crystal Palace, Moses played for Wigan for four consecutive years. However, he found his best form at Chelsea, particularly under an Italian manager, Antonio Conte.

In a frank confession to The Nation, Moses revealed his respect and admiration for Conte: “At Chelsea, he arrived and changed everything. He is an exceptional individual. He changed the way I play. He gave me that fighting spirit to believe in myself and enjoy my football at the same time. With Chelsea in the first season, we won the Premier League, the next season the FA Cup. For me, it was an extraordinary season with Conte.”

Moses only played in Serie A briefly from January 2020 amidst the outbreak of Covid. In his 12 appearances in black and blue in the league, and a further 8 scattered in other competitions, he left no stones unturned.