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Mikel John Obi-by Lynchg-

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about John Obi Mikel

Mikel John Obi is a Nigerian professional football player who plays as a defensive midfielder. He was born John Michael Nchekwube Obinna on April 22, 1987.

Mikel started his career with the regional team Plateau United before switching to the Norwegian club Lyn in 2004 when he was 17 years old.

He controversially moved to English team Chelsea in 2006 after Manchester United allegedly claimed to have already signed him. He spent 11 years with Chelsea before departing for China in 2017 with Tianjin TEDA.

He spent two years in China before returning to England on a temporary deal with Middlesbrough. In July 2019, he joined Trabzonspor on a free transfer.

Mikel rejoined Stoke City in August 2020 after returning to England. He played 91 times for Nigeria throughout the course of a 14-year international career, between 2005 and 2019, and scored six goals.

Here are 10 fascinating facts about John Obi-Mikel.

1. Plateau United was where he started his professional career

John Obi Mikel-Nigeria-by Dmitry Pukalik-

Scouts noticed Obi and he was chosen to play for Plateau United, a top-flight team that had previously produced talents Celestine Babayaro, Victor Obinna, and Chris Obodo who eventually had success in European leagues.

He gained notoriety for his nation at the FIFA Under-17 World Championships held in Finland and was subsequently known as John Obi Mikel.

He next underwent a trial at South African club Ajax Cape Town after the competition before joining Norwegian team Lyn Football in Oslo.

2. Mikel was already regarded as a high talent at age 12

Mikel began his football career at the age of 12 when he was selected from a group of more than 3,000 young footballers as a talented player to play for the Pepsi Football Academy.

A group that at the time was well known for traveling throughout Nigeria looking for young footballers with the potential to play professionally.

3. Chelsea and Manchester United battled for him

Manchester United of the Premier League made the announcement that they had reached an agreement with Lyn to recruit Mikel on April 29, 2005, just a few days after the player turned 18.

Later, Chelsea, a rival Premier League team of Manchester United, counterclaimed claiming they already had a deal with Mikel and his agency, but Lyn refuted this assertion.

On May 11, 2005, the midfielder went missing after joining his contract with Manchester United.

Nine days after going missing, Mikel was staying in a hotel in London when he claimed on Sky Sports News that Lyn and Manchester United had forced him into signing the deal with United without Lyn’s presence.

 Mikel admitted to the British media that Chelsea was the team he truly desired to join. In response to these occurrences, United filed a formal grievance with FIFA over the conduct of Chelsea

. FIFA rejected these allegations in August 2005, saying there wasn’t enough proof to hold Chelsea accountable.

4. A NFF error led to the creation of the name “Mikel”

The Nigerian Football Association (NFA) submitted “Michael” instead of “Mikel” for the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship, which was held in Finland. The new name had a “unique ring to it,” so he chose to keep it.

When he first joined Chelsea, he was most frequently referred to as “John Obi Mikel,” but on July 31, 2006, he said he preferred the name Mikel John Obi, and he made the change official in 2016.

5. He once battled the ‘best player’ award with Lionel Messi

Mikel represented Nigeria in the FIFA World Youth Championships that was place in the Netherlands in 2005.

He played well throughout the competition, advancing Nigeria to the final, where they fell to Argentina 2-1.

While Messi was named the tournament’s top player, Obi took home the Silver Ball for finishing second.

6. Mikel once played for Chelsea and Nigeria while his father was in kidnappers’ den

John Obi Mikel Chelsea vs AS-Roma 10AUG2013-by Warren Fish-

Michael Obi, Mikel’s father, was allegedly kidnapped in Nigeria on August 12, 2011. Two days later, Mikel was informed prior to Chelsea’s game against Stoke City, but he decided to play in spite of his worries for his father’s safety.

On August 15, 2011, Mikel fervently pleaded for his father’s safe return. On August 22, 2011, Michael Obi was discovered alive in the Nigerian city of Kano.

His kidnappers were allegedly in police custody. Mikel was told about a second kidnapping of Michael Obi on June 26, 2018, a few hours before a FIFA World Cup game, but he withheld the information from the rest of his team.

According to the Enugu State Police, they claimed to have saved Michael Obi on July 2 following a shootout.

7. Mikel is one of only three Nigerians to have won the Champions League

Mikel J O-by John Dobson-

At Ajax Amsterdam during the 1994–1995 season, Kanu Nwankwo and Finidi George became the first to win the Champions League. John Mikel Obi became the third Nigerian to win the Champions League.

In 2012, Mikel won the 57th season of the Champions League while playing for Chelsea of England versus Bayern Munich of Germany at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany.

8. He has represented elite teams

Mikels contract with Chelsea ended in 2016 and the club stated on November 4 that it would not be renewed. On January 6, 2017, Mikel was taken on a free transfer by the Chinese club Tianjin TEDA.

After spending two years in China, Mikel signed a short-term contract with English Championship team Middlesbrough during the 2019 winter transfer window.

He joined Trabzonspor in the summer of 2019 on a two-year deal with an additional year’s option.

On August 17, 2020, Mikel agreed to a one-year contract with Stoke City of the EFL Championship.

Mikel canceled his contract with Stoke on July 1, 2021, and he relocated to Kuwait SC.

9. The Olympic bronze medallist Mikel is also an AFCON champion

He was a member of the squad that won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations as well as the Dream Team, who took home the bronze medal in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

10. Mikel is the richest player in Nigeria

John Obi Mikel-by Golubovich Dmitry-

The wealthiest football player in Nigeria is John Obi Mikel. While playing for Chelsea in England, the former Super Eagles captain earned almost one billion nairas annually.

He owns an interstate transportation business in Jos, Plateau State.

Mike Obi was named the Nigerian Youth Ambassador on June 18, 2021, by Sunday Dare, Minister of Youth Sports Development.