#johnmikelobi

The former midfielder for Chelsea, John Mikel Obi, has commended Ademola Lookman for selecting Nigeria over England during his peak. Lookman, who was born in England to Nigerian parents, competed for the continent in youth competitions and was a member of the England team that won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2017. In February 2022, the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) granted his desire to play for Nigeria. Lookman is the front-runner to earn CAF African Player of the Year after helping Atalanta win the UEFA Europa League championship the previous season. Mikel thinks that players should make their choices when it's appropriate, rather than waiting until they're twenty, twenty-eight, or past their prime. Lookman played well last season and was a wonderful player, therefore he made the proper option to switch swiftly to represent Nigeria. “Players have to wait for a while before they decide they want to represent their African root. I genuinely think it shouldn’t be that way,” “If you have decided where you want to play. If you decide you want to play for England, France or Germany, you have to wait, if you don’t get called up that’s your decision. “If you are 20-year-old, make your decision, don’t wait until you are 26, 28. Don’t wait until you are past your best and we become a second option. “I think Ademola Lookman made the right decision to switch quickly to represent Nigeria, and he’s done really well. He played well last season and he’s such a fantastic player” Mikel made this statement on BeIN Sports. Read the full article

John Mikel Obi, a former midfielder for the Super Eagles, has disclosed that following the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2005, he accused Lionel Messi of "stealing" the Golden Ball from him. In the competition final held in the Netherlands, Nigeria took on Argentina. They prevailed 2-1 to win the trophy, and Messi, who was eighteen at the time, scored twice from the penalty spot. With six goals, Messi emerged victorious and took home the Golden Ball, beating off Mikel Obi for the Silver Ball. Mikel Obi recently discussed on his Obi One Podcast:“When we lost against Argentina in the U-20 World Cup, Messi won the Golden Ball and I won the Silver Ball. “At the end of the coronation, I told him, ‘You stole the Golden Ball from me. I deserved it, I was better than you’. “Messi smiled and said to me, ‘I have nothing to do with the matter, the Committee is the one who chooses.'” Read the full article

Super eagles captain #JohnMikelObi bows out from national team.. —————————————- He wrote “Egypt is a country where I’ve started and have finished my National career. In 2006 I played my first official championship for my Country. 2019 African Cup of Nations marks my last championship for National Team with Super Eagles. My national career started in 2003 under 17 World Cup and I’m grateful for the national team for placing me on the world arena and giving me an opportunity to show my skill and have an incredible National and International career. At the age of 32 it’s time for me to retire from the National team and let the youth take over, who’ve done an amazing job securing a bronze medal at AFCON 2019. Thank you to all my Nigerian supporters and to my Country for all the trust, support and love you’ve shown me over the past 15 years. Mikel out!” #AFCON2019 #SuperEagles!#mikelobi https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Dr6eZlyEf/?igshid=nntclu4tsgxn

Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi has officially joined Turkish club Trabzonspor. The 32-year-old midfielder, who is presently in Egypt with the Nigeria national team at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, has signed a contract for two years with an option for an additional year. Mikel became free after his loan spell at English Championship club Middlesbrough ended last season. He made 19 appearances for Middlesbrough and scored one goal. “A 2 + 1-year agreement was signed with the free captain of the Nigerian National Team, Professional Footballer John Mikel Obi, with one-year option to transfer to our club,” a statement on Trabzonspor’s official website read Mikel is now the third Nigerian at Trabzonspor with Ogenyi Onazi and Anthony Nwaekeme already key members of the Super Lig side. Trabzonspor will play in the UEFA Europa League in the coming season following their fourth-place finish in the Turkish Super Lig table last season. The move to Turkey will see Mikel play in his fourth country having started out in Norway before he moved to England where he spent the better part of his career with London club, Chelsea. Mikel also had an uneventful spell in the Chinese Super League where he played for Tianjin Teda. Read the full article

Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi, 31,  has signed for Championship club Middlesbrough on a short term deal until the end of the season. The former Chelsea midfielder who became a free agent in November after a two-year spell with Tianjin Teda in China passed his medical with Tony Pulis' side without a hitch after agreeing on personal terms.   Mikel who won both the Champions League and Europa League with Chelsea told the club's website: 'For me, it's looking at the project. 'I spoke to a few clubs and I also spoke to Tony , had a good chat with him. 'He's told me where he wants to go with it and it definitely fits with what I want to do. 'The club wants to get promoted so hopefully, I'm here to help in any way I can. 'It's a family club and this is what I want. I like stability and this is why I was at Chelsea for a very long time.' Pulis added: 'I'm pleased to get him in. He is a man with a lot of experience and quality. 'He has a winning mentality and he wants to be here be a part of what we are looking to achieve.' Read the full article

Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi, has suggested that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), only works in favour of big countries. VAR was immersed in controversy on Tuesday night, as Nigeria bowed out of the 2018 World Cup. With the scores at 1-1, referee Cuneyt Cakir opted not to award the Eagles a second penalty, after the ball came off Marcos Rojo’s arm inside the box. Rojo went on to score the winner with six minutes left. Speaking with CompleteSports, Mikel Obi suggested that the decisions always go the way of big teams. Asked what he thought about the VAR system, the Tianjin TEDA midfielder replied: “Arŕrrrgh, I don’t want to make comment about it. Big country, I don’t know. Small country? I don’t want to go there.” When pressed on if it doesn’t favour small teams, he answered: “I have nothing to say about it. You can do that mathematics yourself. That’s all I can say.” Read the full article

Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi, was not a happy man following their 2-1 defeat to Argentina on Tuesday night. Lionel Messi opened scoring for the South American side, before Victor Moses levelled in the second half. However, Marcos Rojo volleyed in a late winner, to send the Albiceleste through. Mikel Obi however feels Nigeria should have had another penalty, after Rojo seemed to have handled the ball in the area. “Clear handball, clear penalty. It was open. For me a penalty is a penalty. We’ve seen it again and it’s still a penalty,” the Tianjin TEDA midfielder told reporters in the mixed zone. Read the full article

Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi, has said he will take full responsibility if the team does not qualify for the knockout stages. Nigeria need to win or at least draw against Argentina on Tuesday to book their place in the round of 16. Mikel Obi, speaking to The Players’ Tribune, promised to give it his all, as it might be his last World Cup. “I know that this could be my last World Cup. The group is very tough, but you know a bit about me now. You know that I am not going to chicken out. “If we don’t go on to the the knockout stage, I will take responsibility because that’s my job as a captain. I learnt what it took to be a leader from John Terry. “Listen, this is a true story — sometimes we would come into the changing room after a bad first half and me and John would be doing everything but throwing punches. He used to literally grab you by the neck if he thought you weren’t taking the game seriously. “Sometimes the manager wouldn’t even speak to us before the match. He would let John speak. And John would use every bad word in the dictionary in his team talk, and when you left the changing room and went onto the pitch, he had you ready to give everything for the team. Everything,” he said. Read the full article