When this happens, it’s always due to injuries, fall out with coaches, or some rational reasons. In some of these cases, there is always room for a return for the players either after they resolve their issues or much persuasion from coaches and fans because of the obvious need for them in the team.

But this has not been and will not be the case for Victor Moses who called time on his Super Eagles career at just the age of 27.

Indeed, Moses’s decision to retire from international duties on Wednesday, August 15, was not met with downhearted reactions, rather just shocks at the abruptness of it and then the farewells.

Over the course of his Super Eagles career, Moses never etched himself into the heart of Nigerians before his sudden and unexpected international retiral.

This does not in any away negate everything he achieved with the Super Eagles. Moses gave us some thrilling moments.

Nigeria’s triumph at the 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) easily comes to mind. Although Sunday Mba and Emmanuel Emenike snagged the camera moments, Moses was head and shoulders above everyone in that squad.

His trickery and pace brought the needed spark and lifted the sturdy team of late Stephen Keshi that went on to win the AFCON 2013 title.

But while his performances against Ethiopia in the group stage and Mali in the semi-final were timely interventions that Nigeria badly needed on their way to the title, it was Emenike’s goals including the one against pre-tournament favourites Cote d'Ivoire and Mba’s heroics in that quarter-final clash and in the final that remained more memorable till date.

The AFCON 2013 title remains the high point of Moses’ Super Eagles career little wonder four out of the five photos he put on the Instagram post with which he announced his decision to quit were those of the trophy.

After his AFCON 2013 heroics, his fine moments came sparsely before he hung his intentional boot and that is why his legacy is sullied.

Moses’ international career was trailed by the perception of him not being committed. He always found a way to miss games which were not convenient enough for him and the withdrawn cast he evinced with the national team also made his allegiance a suspect.

On the pitch, he also leaves at a time when the Super Eagles are in little need of him. He reportedly fell out with Gernot Rohr after he was asked to play wing-back in the three-man defence system used in Nigeria’s last two games of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

And with his flair and slick movement already stifled with the defensive demand during Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 stint at Chelsea, it was becoming more difficult for Moses to impress as a forward for the Super Eagles.

While it is not clear if Rohr will continue with the 3-5-2 system in the long term, Moses is clearly a luxury he can afford not to have.

As a starter at Chelsea, he was the stardust that reignited optimism around the Super Eagles, but with some exciting talents waiting to take over, his absence won’t be a sore miss for the national team.