By John Michael Ojo
Former Super Eagles captain and Chelsea legend, John Mikel Obi, has announced his retirement from professional football.
Mikel who enjoyed a successful career both at the club and international levels made the announcement via his official Instagram account on Tuesday.
According to him, “There is a saying that ‘all good things must come to an end’, and for my professional football career, that day is today,” he stated.
The former Chelsea defensive-midfielder continued, “I look back at the past 20 years of my career, and I must say that I am very satisfied with all that I was able to achieve and more importantly the human it has helped shape.
“All of this would not have been possible without the unwavering support of my family, managers, clubs, coaches, teammates and most importantly my ever-loyal fans. You supported me through my highs and lows, even on days that I did not live up to your expectations. I say a big thank you.
“I will also like to encourage everyone who I may have inspired one way or the other in the course of my career to never give up on their dreams, for every time you think about quitting, remind yourself why you started.
“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,” he added.
Mikel Obi began his football career with Plateau United in Nigeria before joining Norwegian club, Lyn Oslo, at the age of 17 in 2004.
In 2005, he made a controversial transfer to English club Chelsea after Manchester United claimed they had already signed him.
During his 11-year stay at west London, he scored a total of six goals and 13 assists in 372 appearances.
The 35-year-old won two Premier League titles, three FA Cup trophies, the 2007 League Cup, the 2013 Europa League and was part of the Chelsea team who won the Champions League trophy for the first time in 2012.
He also led the Super Eagles for a successful campaign as they won the Africa Cup of Nations for the third time in 2013.
In 2020, Mikel made headline across media outlets in Turkey when he refused to play a match due to the coronavirus pandemic. This led to the termination of his contract by his club, Trabzonspor.
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