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8 Things You Didn’t Know About John Obi Mikel

8 Things You Didn’t Know About John Obi Mikel

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John Obi Mikel is a Nigerian soccer player who has been a stalwart at English Premier League club Chelsea for many years, while also contributing to the Super Eagles of Nigeria on the international stage since making his debut for the country in 2006.

Here we take a closer look at this interesting player, and present 8 things that you probably did not know about John Obi Mikel.

Sources: ChelseaFC, DailyTelegraph, TimesOnline, Ahram, KickOff.

John Obi Mikel
John Obi Mikel is a Super Eagles veteran – thetimes.co.uk

What’s his real name?

The Nigerian midfielder’s real name is John Michael Nchekwube Obinna, but he has come to be known as John Obi Mikel, John Mikel Obi or Mikel John Obi. Ahead of the 2003 FIFA Under-17 World Championships, the Nigerian Football Association (NFA) mistakenly submitted his name as Mikel instead of Michael, and at the competition in Finland he was referred to as such, and decided to keep the name.

John Obi Mikel
His Chelsea adventure did not begin without controversy – howng.com

Move to Chelsea shrouded in controversy

Mikel’s eventual move to Chelsea from Norwegian club Lyn in 2005 was a complicated mess, as originally the player seemed set to join Manchester United, before it came to light that he was pressured into doing so without the representation of his agents. At the same time, his agents had agreed a deal with Chelsea, and after FIFA intervention and negotiations between Chelsea, Manchester United and Lyn, his transfer to the North London club was finalised.

Nigeria
Mikel has been a leader within the team for some time – Nigeria

Super Eagles captain

In 2016 Mikel was announced as captain of the Nigerian national team, with former skipper Ahmed Musa relinquishing the position of leadership to the more experienced veteran. Musa had been skipper for the Super Eagles during parts of 2015, but the West African nation is now led by Mikel.

khenama.com
2013 was a good year for the Super Eagles – khenama.com

Mikel won the 2013 AFCON

In 2013 the Super Eagles of Nigeria won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), with Mikel featuring as one of the stars of the tournament, and a leader on and off the pitch in South Africa. Nigeria’s fifth Nations Cup title was secured with a 1-0 final victory over Burkina Faso, as Mikel was named by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in the official team of the tournament.

John Obi Mikel - nairaland.com
Mikel is a Champions League winner – nairaland.com

He is a UEFA Champions League winner

The Nigerian midfielder became a European club champion with Chelsea in 2012, having defeated Bayern Munich in a tense final at the Allianz Arena which was eventually decided by a penalty shootout. Mikel played the full game, and earned his Champions League winners medal with a typical shift of hard work in midfield, alongside man of the match in that encounter, Didier Drogba, and the Ivorian’s compatriot Salomon Kalou.

https://youtu.be/DWSGx0jR5xw

Starred in an advert alongside Genevieve Nnanji

Mikel benefited from a lucrative endorsement with brewer Amstel Malta, making a reported sum of $4 million in exchange for his appearance in an advertisement for the brand. The commercial attempts to tell the story of Mikel’s rise from playing on the streets of  Jos in Nigeria to turning out for English Premier League club Chelsea, as well as representing the Super Eagles at the World Cup. In the ad he features alongside Nollywood star Genevieve Nnanji, who also has her rise documented.

peoplesdailyng.com
The kidnapping of his father was a difficult situation – peoplesdailyng.com

His father was kidnapped in 2011

In August 2011, the player’s father, Michael Obi, was kidnapped in Nigeria. A few days after the kidnapping Mikel begged for the perpetrators to return his father without any harm coming to him. He also appealed to the Nigerian public to help him find his father. Thankfully, Michael Obi was found alive on 22 August 2011, in the Nigerian city of Kano. The kidnappers were taken into police custody.

John Obi Mikel
John Obi Mikel has shown potential from a young age – dailymail.co.uk

Won the Silver Ball at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship

In 2005 the Nigerian youngster was voted as the second best player at the youth tournament, winning the Silver Ball award as a result. The player who finished as the tournament’s best on that occasion was Lionel Messi of Argentina, who would go on to become a global star.