by Mitchelle Uzorka
Former captain of the Super Eagles and Chelsea FC, John Mikel Obi, broke the media with news of his retirement from professional football, yesterday September 27, 2022.
Mikel, who is a successful footballer both at the club and international levels, took to his official Instagram account to make the announcement.
“There is a saying that ‘all good things must come to an end,’ and for my professional football career, that day is today,” Obi said.
He added, “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.”
The 35-year-old has won two Premier League titles, three FA Cup trophies, the 2007 League Cup and the 2013 Europa League. He was also part of the Chelsea team that won the Champions League trophy for the first time in 2012.
