Victor Moses
Encyclopedia
Victor Moses is a footballer who plays for Wigan Athletic
. Moses can play in a variety of positions, but in the first-team games he has taken part in so far, Moses has mostly played as a left winger
. Born in Nigeria
, he has represented England at under-16
, under-17
, under-19
and under-21
levels.
, Moses moved to England at the age of 11. He attended Stanley Technical High School (now known as the Harris Academy) in South Norwood
, during which time he was scouted playing football in the local Tandridge League, where scouts from Crystal Palace
approached him, with the club's Selhurst Park
stadium just streets away from his school. The scouts were so impressed that he was offered a place in the Eagles' academy, which he accepted.
Shortly after Moses joined their academy, Palace recommended him to the fee-paying Whitgift School
in Croydon
where former Palace player and coach Steve Kember
and former Arsenal
and Chelsea
star Colin Pates
had been coaching the school football team, in the hope that the higher quality coaching and facilities at Whitgift would further improve his development as a player.
He first came to prominence at 14 after scoring 50 goals for Palace's under-14 side, as well as helping Whitgift win many School Cups, including a National Cup, scoring all five goals in the final against Healing School
of Grimsby at the Walkers Stadium
, Leicester.
He made his debut in The Championship on the 6th of November 2007 away from home against Cardiff. In the Palace first team Moses settled down well, scoring 3 times in his first season
and settling into the squad well. In the close season Moses committed his future to Palace, signing a four-year contract to take him through until 2012, but the following season failed to ever really get going however, and despite a sustained period of starting matches he only managed to score twice.
after Palace went into administration.
He made his debut on 6 February 2010 as a substitute against Sunderland
in a 1–1 draw.
On 20 March 2010, Moses came on as a substitute against Burnley
and got his first assist for the club, setting up team mate Hugo Rodallega
for an injury time winner. He scored his first goal for Wigan on 3 May 2010 against Hull City
.
Moses picked up two injuries at the start of the 2010–11 season, and found it difficult to make it back into the first-team due to increased competition for places. He scored his first league goal of the season
on 13 November 2010 in a 1–0 win against West Bromwich Albion
.
Moses has chosen to represent his adopted home of England
, featuring for the under-16 team
, in which he won the Victory Shield
in 2005, and under-17
level. He travelled with the squad to the 2007 UEFA European U-17 Championship
in Belgium
, scoring three times (including the only goal in the semi-final win over France
) to help John Peacock's side to the competition final, where they were narrowly beaten by a single goal by Spain
, though Moses managed to finish as the competition's top scorer and collect the Golden Boot
for doing so.
That same summer the squad travelled to South Korea
for the FIFA U-17 World Cup
. Moses finished as the Young Lions' top scorer, netting three times in the Group B fixtures, but sustained an injury in the victory over Brazil
that ruled him out of the competition. Moses' teammates went on to reach the quarterfinal stage.
squad, and following his goalscoring exploits for Palace's first-team, he was promoted to the under-19
side without appearing sufficiently for the U-18s to actually collect a cap. He went with the U-19s to the 2008 UEFA European U-19 Championship
in the Czech Republic
, playing two matches and picking up one assist as the Young Lions failed to make it out of Group B. Speculation grew as Stuart Pearce snubbed him that Moses would return to play for Nigeria in the 2010 World Cup, this move never materialised. On 14 January 2011, he was called up the Nigerian national squad for the first time, for a friendly in February against Guatemala
in the United States, but has not decided if he will accept the invitation.
against Guatemala
in February 2011, but the friendly was cancelled. He accepted a call-up in March 2011 for Nigeria's games against Ethiopia
and Kenya
. However, he was ruled out of those games because his application to FIFA to switch nationalities was not received in time. It was announced on 1 November 2011, that FIFA had cleared Moses and Shola Ameobi
to play for Nigeria.
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
. Moses can play in a variety of positions, but in the first-team games he has taken part in so far, Moses has mostly played as a left winger
Winger (sport)
In certain sports, such as football, field hockey, ice hockey, handball, rugby union, lacrosse and rugby league, the term winger is the name of a position. It refers to positions on the extreme left and right sides of the pitch . In American football and Canadian football, the analogous position...
. Born in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, he has represented England at under-16
England national under-16 football team
-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the Victory Shield match against Scotland.-Recent call-ups:The following players have also been called up to the England U-16 squad and remain eligible.-External links:*...
, under-17
England national under-17 football team
-Elite Qualifying Group 3:-Group stage:-Fifth place play-off:-FA International U17 Tournament:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round....
, under-19
England national under-19 football team
-Other matches:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the friendly match against Denmark.- Recent call-ups :The following players have also been called up to the England under-19 squad and remain eligible.-Past squads:...
and under-21
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
levels.
Crystal Palace
Born in NigeriaNigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Moses moved to England at the age of 11. He attended Stanley Technical High School (now known as the Harris Academy) in South Norwood
South Norwood
South Norwood is an urban town and in south London, England, in the London Borough of Croydon. It is a suburban development 7.8 miles south-east of Charing Cross. South Norwood is an electoral with a resident population in 2001 of just over 14,000...
, during which time he was scouted playing football in the local Tandridge League, where scouts from Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
approached him, with the club's Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park is an English football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood in the Borough of Croydon. It is the current home ground of Crystal Palace Football Club. Its present capacity is 26,309.-History:...
stadium just streets away from his school. The scouts were so impressed that he was offered a place in the Eagles' academy, which he accepted.
Shortly after Moses joined their academy, Palace recommended him to the fee-paying Whitgift School
Whitgift School
Whitgift School is an independent day school educating approximately 1,400 boys aged 10 to 18 in South Croydon, London in a parkland site.- History and grounds :...
in Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
where former Palace player and coach Steve Kember
Steve Kember
Stephen Dennis "Steve" Kember is a former footballer who played in the centre of midfield during his career, before going into management...
and former Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
star Colin Pates
Colin Pates
Colin George Pates is an English former footballer born in Carshalton, London, who made more than 400 appearances in the Football League. He played for various clubs, mainly in London, in a defensive role.-Career:...
had been coaching the school football team, in the hope that the higher quality coaching and facilities at Whitgift would further improve his development as a player.
He first came to prominence at 14 after scoring 50 goals for Palace's under-14 side, as well as helping Whitgift win many School Cups, including a National Cup, scoring all five goals in the final against Healing School
Healing School
Healing School A Science Academy is a co-educational, specialist academy school located on Low Road in the village of Healing, North East Lincolnshire, England.-Admissions:...
of Grimsby at the Walkers Stadium
Walkers Stadium
The King Power Stadium is a football stadium which hosts home matches of English football club Leicester City. The all-seater stadium, inaugurated in July 2002, holds 32,500 and has the 19th largest stadium capacity in England. The stadium is named after King Power, a company owned by club owner...
, Leicester.
He made his debut in The Championship on the 6th of November 2007 away from home against Cardiff. In the Palace first team Moses settled down well, scoring 3 times in his first season
2007-08 in English football
The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...
and settling into the squad well. In the close season Moses committed his future to Palace, signing a four-year contract to take him through until 2012, but the following season failed to ever really get going however, and despite a sustained period of starting matches he only managed to score twice.
Wigan Athletic
It was the 2009–10 season where he really came to prominence, when a run of five goals in eight games for the Eagles saw him become the hottest property of the January transfer window. On the final day of it he completed a £2.5 million transfer to Premier League side Wigan AthleticWigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
after Palace went into administration.
He made his debut on 6 February 2010 as a substitute against Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
in a 1–1 draw.
On 20 March 2010, Moses came on as a substitute against Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
and got his first assist for the club, setting up team mate Hugo Rodallega
Hugo Rodallega
Hugo Rodallega Martínez is a Colombian footballer who plays for English Premier League club Wigan Athletic. He primarily plays as a striker, but can also play on the wing....
for an injury time winner. He scored his first goal for Wigan on 3 May 2010 against Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
.
Moses picked up two injuries at the start of the 2010–11 season, and found it difficult to make it back into the first-team due to increased competition for places. He scored his first league goal of the season
on 13 November 2010 in a 1–0 win against West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
.
U-16 and U-17 level
Despite originally hailing from NigeriaNigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
Moses has chosen to represent his adopted home of England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, featuring for the under-16 team
England national under-16 football team
-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the Victory Shield match against Scotland.-Recent call-ups:The following players have also been called up to the England U-16 squad and remain eligible.-External links:*...
, in which he won the Victory Shield
Victory Shield
The Victory Shield is an annual football tournament competed for by the under-16 teams of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The competition is broadcast live in the UK by Sky Sports who also sponsor the competition...
in 2005, and under-17
England national under-17 football team
-Elite Qualifying Group 3:-Group stage:-Fifth place play-off:-FA International U17 Tournament:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round....
level. He travelled with the squad to the 2007 UEFA European U-17 Championship
2007 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
The UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship 2007 Final Tournament was held in Belgium from May 2, 2007, to May 13, 2007. Top 5 teams will qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup 2007...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, scoring three times (including the only goal in the semi-final win over France
France national under-17 football team
The France national under-17 football team is the national under-17 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the annual UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship and the FIFA U-17 World Cup, which is held every four years...
) to help John Peacock's side to the competition final, where they were narrowly beaten by a single goal by Spain
Spain national under-17 football team
The Spain national under-17 football team represents Spain in international football at this age level and is controlled by Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain....
, though Moses managed to finish as the competition's top scorer and collect the Golden Boot
Golden Boot
A Golden Boot or Golden Shoe is an award, most often in football sports, given to the individual player who scores the most goals in a league or a tournament.These terms may also refer to:In association football...
for doing so.
That same summer the squad travelled to South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
for the FIFA U-17 World Cup
2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup
The FIFA U-17 World Cup 2007 was held in the Korea Republic between 18 August and 9 September 2007. For this event, the number of teams had been expanded from 16 to 24, with the top two of each group and the four best third-place teams advancing to the Round of 16...
. Moses finished as the Young Lions' top scorer, netting three times in the Group B fixtures, but sustained an injury in the victory over Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
that ruled him out of the competition. Moses' teammates went on to reach the quarterfinal stage.
U-19s
Since that tournament he has been promoted to the under-18England national under-18 football team
-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the friendly match against Slovakia.-Recent call-ups:The following players have also been called up to the England under-18 squad and remain eligible.-References:...
squad, and following his goalscoring exploits for Palace's first-team, he was promoted to the under-19
England national under-19 football team
-Other matches:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the friendly match against Denmark.- Recent call-ups :The following players have also been called up to the England under-19 squad and remain eligible.-Past squads:...
side without appearing sufficiently for the U-18s to actually collect a cap. He went with the U-19s to the 2008 UEFA European U-19 Championship
2008 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
The final tournament of the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Championship was the 24th UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship, UEFA's premier competition for players under the age of 19. The tournament was held in the Czech Republic with matches played from 14 July to 26 July 2008. Players born...
in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, playing two matches and picking up one assist as the Young Lions failed to make it out of Group B. Speculation grew as Stuart Pearce snubbed him that Moses would return to play for Nigeria in the 2010 World Cup, this move never materialised. On 14 January 2011, he was called up the Nigerian national squad for the first time, for a friendly in February against Guatemala
Guatemala national football team
The Guatemala national football team is the association football team representing the country of Guatemala and is controlled by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala. Founded in 1919, it affiliated to FIFA in 1946, and it is a member of CONCACAF....
in the United States, but has not decided if he will accept the invitation.
U-21s
Moses was promoted to the under-21 squad at the beginning of the 2010-2011 Premier League season and made his debut against Uzbekistan in a 2–0 win.Nigeria
Moses was selected to play for NigeriaNigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
against Guatemala
Guatemala national football team
The Guatemala national football team is the association football team representing the country of Guatemala and is controlled by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala. Founded in 1919, it affiliated to FIFA in 1946, and it is a member of CONCACAF....
in February 2011, but the friendly was cancelled. He accepted a call-up in March 2011 for Nigeria's games against Ethiopia
Ethiopia national football team
The Ethiopia national football team represents Ethiopia in association football and is controlled by the Ethiopian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Ethiopia...
and Kenya
Kenya national football team
The Kenya national football team, nicknamed the Harambee Stars, is the national team of Kenya and is controlled by Football Kenya Limited, the governing body of football in Kenya. They have never qualified for the World Cup finals.-History:...
. However, he was ruled out of those games because his application to FIFA to switch nationalities was not received in time. It was announced on 1 November 2011, that FIFA had cleared Moses and Shola Ameobi
Shola Ameobi
Foluwashola "Shola" Ameobi is an Nigerian footballer who plays for Premier League club Newcastle United as a forward. Born in Nigeria but raised in Newcastle, he played for England at under-21 level. He is the older brother of fellow footballers Tomi and Sammy...
to play for Nigeria.
Club career statistics
| Club | League | Season | League | Cup | Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... |
Play-Offs | Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | |||
| Crystal Palace Crystal Palace F.C. Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in... |
Championship Football League Championship The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League... |
2007–08 2007-08 in English football The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool... |
13 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 2008–09 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 32 | 2 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 2009–10 | 18 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 21 | 6 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| Total | 2007–2010 | 58 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 69 | 11 | 5 | ||||||||||||
| Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic F.C. Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW... |
Premier League | 2009–10 | 14 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 14 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||
| 2010–11 | 21 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 26 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||
| 2011–12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 11 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
| Total | 2010–present | 47 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 52 | 3 | 6 | |||||||||||||||
| Career totals | 105 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 121 | 14 | 11 | ||||||||||||
International career statistics
| National team | Season | Friendly | Victory Shield | Euro Championship | World Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| England U16 England national under-16 football team -Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the Victory Shield match against Scotland.-Recent call-ups:The following players have also been called up to the England U-16 squad and remain eligible.-External links:*... |
2005–06 2005-06 in English football The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether... |
0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| England U17 England national under-17 football team -Elite Qualifying Group 3:-Group stage:-Fifth place play-off:-FA International U17 Tournament:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round.... |
2006–07 2006-07 in English football The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five... |
8 | 3 | ||||||||
| 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 9 | ||||||
| England U19 England national under-19 football team -Other matches:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the friendly match against Denmark.- Recent call-ups :The following players have also been called up to the England under-19 squad and remain eligible.-Past squads:... |
2008–09 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||
| 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | ||||||
| England U21 England national under-21 football team England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team.... |
2010– | 1 | 0 | ||||||||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Career totals | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 30 | 11 | |
Honours
- 2005 – Victory ShieldVictory ShieldThe Victory Shield is an annual football tournament competed for by the under-16 teams of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The competition is broadcast live in the UK by Sky Sports who also sponsor the competition...
- 2007 – UEFA U-17 European Championships2007 UEFA European Under-17 Football ChampionshipThe UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship 2007 Final Tournament was held in Belgium from May 2, 2007, to May 13, 2007. Top 5 teams will qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup 2007...
– runners-up - 2007 – UEFA U-17 European Championships2007 UEFA European Under-17 Football ChampionshipThe UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship 2007 Final Tournament was held in Belgium from May 2, 2007, to May 13, 2007. Top 5 teams will qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup 2007...
– Golden BootGolden BootA Golden Boot or Golden Shoe is an award, most often in football sports, given to the individual player who scores the most goals in a league or a tournament.These terms may also refer to:In association football...
winner - December 2009 Football League Young Player of the Month
External links
- Victor Moses profile at the Wigan Athletic website
- ESPN Profile