September 27, (THEWILL) – John Mikel Obi, a former midfielder for Nigeria and Chelsea, announced his retirement from the game on Tuesday.
The 35-year-old took to Instagram to say: “There is a saying that ‘all good things must come to an end’, and for my professional football career, that day is today. This is not goodbye, it’s the start of another journey, another chapter of my life. I look forward to what the future holds and I hope you will walk with me. Thank you,”
Over the course of his 11-year career, Mikel helped Chelsea win the English Premier League twice and the club’s first-ever UEFA Champions League in 2012. In 2013, he also assisted Chelsea in winning the UEFA Europa League. Mikel played 372 times for Chelsea between 2006 and 2017, scoring six goals and dishing out 13 assists.
Furthermore, Mikel was a midfielder for Nigeria in 2013 when they won the Africa Cup of Nations. He amassed 89 total international appearances for Nigeria.
Mikel also played football for Kuwait SC before moving on to China’s Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, Middlesbrough, and Stoke City in England in a very storied football career. He featured for Trabzonspor in the 2019/2020 campaign.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
