Mikel John Obi facts for kids

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Mikel John Obi

Mikel in 2024
Personal information
Full name	Mikel John Obi
Birth name	John Michael Nchekwube Obinna
Date of birth	(1987-04-22) 22 April 1987 (age 38)
Place of birth	Jos, Nigeria
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Youth career
2002–2004	Plateau United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2006	Lyn	6	(1)
2006–2017	Chelsea	249	(1)
2017–2018	Tianjin TEDA	31	(3)
2019	Middlesbrough	18	(1)
2019–2020	Trabzonspor	19	(0)
2020–2021	Stoke City	39	(0)
2021	Kuwait SC	0	(0)
Total		362	(6)
International career
2016	Nigeria Olympic	6	(1)
2005–2019	Nigeria	91	(6)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Nigeria Africa Cup of Nations Winner 2013 South Africa Third 2006 Egypt Third 2010 Angola Third 2019 Egypt Olympic Games Bronze 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mikel John Obi (born John Michael Nchekwube Obinna; 22 April 1987) is a Nigerian former professional footballer. He played as a defensive midfielder, a position where he helped protect his team's defense. He is also known as John Obi Mikel.

Mikel started his football journey with a local club called Plateau United. At 17, he moved to the Norwegian club Lyn in 2004. In 2006, he made a big move to the English club Chelsea. This transfer was quite talked about because Manchester United had also tried to sign him.

He played for Chelsea for 11 years, winning many important trophies. These included two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and the famous UEFA Champions League in 2012. After leaving Chelsea, he played for several other clubs. These included Tianjin TEDA, Middlesbrough, Trabzonspor, Stoke City, and Kuwait SC.

Mikel also had a long international career playing for Nigeria. From 2005 to 2019, he played 91 games and scored six goals. He participated in five Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, winning one in 2013. He also played in two World Cups and won a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics.

Early Life and Football Beginnings

Mikel was born in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. His father, Michael Obi, ran a transport company. Mikel's family belongs to the Igbo ethnic group.

Starting His Football Journey

Mikel began playing football at age 12. He was chosen from over 3,000 young players to join the Pepsi Football Academy. This academy was known for finding talented young footballers across Nigeria. They looked for players who could become professionals.

Mikel really stood out to the scouts. He was then picked to play for Plateau United, a top-flight club. This club had helped other famous players like Celestine Babayaro become successful. Later, he became known as John Obi Mikel. He gained attention for Nigeria at the FIFA Under-17 World Championships in Finland. After this tournament, he went for a trial at Ajax Cape Town in South Africa. He eventually joined Lyn Fotball in Norway.

Club Career Highlights

Moving to England: A Big Decision

On 29 April 2005, just after Mikel turned 18, Manchester United announced they had agreed to sign him. Their website even said he had signed a contract with them. However, Chelsea, another big English club, said they already had an agreement with Mikel. Lyn, his Norwegian club, denied Chelsea's claim.

It turned out that Mikel had trained with Chelsea's first team in 2004 and impressed their manager, José Mourinho. Mikel later said he felt pressured to sign with Manchester United without his agent. He then traveled to London and told Sky Sports News that he truly wanted to sign for Chelsea. This situation caused a lot of discussion in the football world.

Transfer Agreement Reached

To solve the issue, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Lyn worked together. On 2 June 2006, they reached an agreement. Mikel's registration was moved from Lyn to Chelsea. Manchester United agreed to end their deal with him. Chelsea paid Manchester United £12 million and Lyn £4 million. This settled all the disagreements. On 19 July 2006, Chelsea got a work permit for Mikel, and he officially joined them.

Playing for Chelsea: A Successful Era

First Season and Key Role

Mikel made his first start for Chelsea on 12 September 2006, in a UEFA Champions League game. He played well and received positive comments. He scored his first goal for Chelsea in an FA Cup match on 6 January 2007. During the League Cup final in 2007, Mikel was sent off after a clash with an opponent.

Despite this, manager José Mourinho started using Mikel as a defensive midfielder in important games. He played very well, especially in big matches like the 2007 FA Cup Final against Manchester United, which Chelsea won. Mikel's strength, good ball control, and passing skills helped him stop opposing attacks and move the ball effectively. He became a key player in Chelsea's midfield.

Continued Success and Important Contributions

Mikel continued to play a lot during the 2008–09 season. He performed very well, especially when teammate Michael Essien was injured. His improved play was praised by Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari. He even helped set up a goal against Manchester United. He played so well that he was nominated for Chelsea's club player and young player of the season awards. On 22 July 2009, Mikel signed a new five-year contract with Chelsea.

Mikel playing for Chelsea against Fulham in 2009

In the 2009–10 season, Mikel continued to be a strong defensive midfielder. He made 35 appearances for Chelsea. In May 2010, he won the Premier League and FA Cup with Chelsea. This was the first time Chelsea won both the league and cup in the same season.

Champions League Glory

Before the 2011–12 season, Mikel's father faced a difficult situation in Nigeria. Despite this, Mikel chose to play in Chelsea's first game. He played more often due to Essien's injury. After a change in managers, Mikel started playing some of his best football for the club.

Mikel playing for Chelsea in 2013

Mikel played the full 90 minutes in Chelsea's 2–1 win over Liverpool in the 2012 FA Cup Final on 5 May 2012. He also played in eight games leading up to the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final against Bayern Munich. In the final in Munich on 19 May, Mikel played all 120 minutes. Chelsea played a strong defensive game, and Mikel was praised for his excellent performance. Chelsea won the match 4–3 in a penalty shootout, securing the UEFA Champions League title. Mikel said it was "the best night of our lives."

Later Chelsea Years

Mikel continued to be an important player for Chelsea. On 5 December 2012, he signed a contract extension, keeping him at the club until 2017. On 21 September 2013, Mikel scored his first-ever Premier League goal in a 2–0 win against Fulham. He scored his second goal of the season in an FA Cup match on 5 January 2014. He made his 200th Premier League appearance for Chelsea on 3 February 2014.

On 10 December 2014, Mikel scored a rare goal against Sporting CP in a Champions League match. On Boxing Day 2015, Mikel made his 350th appearance for Chelsea. He also scored a goal against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League round of 16. Due to injuries to other players, Mikel sometimes played as a center-back. On 4 November 2016, it was announced that Mikel's contract with Chelsea would not be renewed.

Playing in China and Other Clubs

On 6 January 2017, Mikel joined the Chinese club Tianjin TEDA on a free transfer. He played for them until November 2018.

After two years in China, Mikel returned to England. He joined Championship team Middlesbrough in January 2019. He played 19 games for Middlesbrough, scoring one goal. He left Middlesbrough at the end of the 2018–19 season.

In the summer of 2019, Mikel joined Trabzonspor in Turkey. He left the club on 17 March 2020, by agreement, after sharing his concerns about the league continuing during the global pandemic.

Mikel then signed a one-year contract with EFL Championship side Stoke City on 17 August 2020. He was a key player for Stoke during the 2020–21 season, playing 41 games.

On 1 July 2021, Mikel moved to Kuwait SC. His contract with Kuwait SC ended after only four months. On 27 September 2022, Mikel announced he was retiring from professional football at the age of 35.

International Career for Nigeria

Mikel played 91 times for Nigeria; at the time of his retirement, only three players had done so more often.

Mikel played for the Nigeria under-20 team at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. He won the Silver Ball award as the second-best player in the tournament, behind Lionel Messi. Nigeria finished as runner-up to Argentina.

He made his debut for the Nigeria senior team on 17 August 2005. This was in a friendly match against Libya. He scored his first international goal in the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations against Zimbabwe. He also helped Nigeria reach the quarter-finals of the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.

Mikel appeared at two FIFA World Cups: in 2014 and 2018 (pictured against Iceland in 2018).

Mikel was a very important player for Nigeria at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. He helped them win their third continental title. He was named in the tournament's best team by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

He made his FIFA World Cup debut at the 2014 tournament in Brazil. He was named man of the match in Nigeria's first game against Iran. He helped the team reach the knockout stage for the first time since 1998.

Mikel was chosen as captain for the Nigeria Olympic squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics. On 13 August 2016, he scored his first Olympic goal in a 2–0 win against Denmark. This helped Nigeria reach the semi-finals. On 20 August, Mikel helped Nigeria win the bronze medal in a 3–2 victory over Honduras. Nigeria became the first country to win all three Olympic football medals (gold in 1996, silver in 2008, bronze in 2016).

In July 2019, Mikel announced that the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations would be his last tournament for Nigeria. He retired from international football after the competition, where Nigeria finished in third place.

Personal Life

During preparations for the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship, the Nigerian Football Association (NFA) accidentally wrote "Mikel" instead of "Michael" for his name. He liked the new name and decided to keep it, saying it had a "special ring to it." He was often called "John Obi Mikel" when he joined Chelsea. However, on 31 July 2006, he said he preferred to be called Mikel John Obi. He officially changed his name to Mikel John Obi in 2016.

On 12 August 2011, Mikel's father, Michael Obi, was involved in a difficult situation in Nigeria. Mikel was told about it before a Chelsea match but chose to play. His father was found safe on 22 August 2011. On 26 June 2018, Mikel was informed of another similar situation involving his father, but he did not tell his teammates before a World Cup match. His father was later rescued.

On 18 June 2021, the Nigerian Minister of Youth Sports Development, Sunday Akin Dare, named Mikel as the country's Youth Ambassador.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first.

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	27 January 2006	Port Said Stadium, Port Said, Egypt	Zimbabwe	2–0	2–0	2006 Africa Cup of Nations
2	29 January 2008	Sekondi-Takoradi Stadium, Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana	Benin	1–0	2–0	2008 Africa Cup of Nations
3	13 October 2012	U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar, Nigeria	Liberia	4–1	6–1	2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
4	20 June 2013	Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, Brazil	Uruguay	1–1	1–2	2013 FIFA Confederations Cup
5	12 November 2016	Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Nigeria	Algeria	2–0	3–1	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
6	1 September 2017		Cameroon	2–0	4–0

Honours and Awards

Chelsea

• Premier League: 2009–10, 2014–15
• FA Cup: 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12
• Football League Cup: 2006–07, 2014–15
• FA Community Shield: 2009
• UEFA Champions League: 2011–12
• UEFA Europa League: 2012–13

Nigeria

• Africa Cup of Nations: 2013; third place: 2006, 2010, 2019

Nigeria Olympic

• Summer Olympics bronze medalist: 2016

Individual Awards

• FIFA World Youth Championship Silver Ball: 2005
• CAF Most Promising Talent of the Year: 2005
• Chelsea Young Player of the Year: 2007, 2008
• CAF Team of the Year: 2005, 2013
• Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 2013
• African Footballer of the Year runner-up: 2013

Orders

• Member of the Order of the Niger

See also

In Spanish: John Obi Mikel para niños