Bunmi Ogunyale
The world football governing body, FIFA has joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to celebrate former Super Eagles’ captain, John Obi Mikel on his 33rd birthday.
The midfielder, who turned 33 yesterday, received congratulatory messages from far and wide.
Some of the messages read: “A big birthday shout out to former @NGSuperEagles captain and #AFCON2013 winner, @mikel_john_obi.
“Thank you for the memories and do have a good one.” Another also wrote; “Happy Birthday to Nigeria’s retired midfielder, John Obi Mikel! 2013 #TotalAFCON winner and three third-place medals winner.”
Check revealed that the erstwhile Chelsea FC of England star played 88 times for Nigeria, scoring six goals in 14-year of international career between 2005 and 2019.
Mikel also assured Nigeria to a bronze medal win in Rio 2016 Olympic Games. He was with Chelsea for 11 years, before moving to China, with TianjinTEDA in 2017. He had also been with Middlesbrough and Trabzonspor on afree transfer.
Mikel is currently on Brazilian clubs radar and may seal a deal with Botafogo or Porto Alegre.
In a similar vein, his former club, Chelsea had picked one out of manyto celebrate him.
The Stamford Bridge giants marked the occasion with a videoremembering his maiden goal for the club.
The Nigerian who was nearing a seven-year sojourn in West London hadnever scored in the Premier League in 185 matches –however, he brokethe jinx in the 2-0 triumph over Fulham.
He volleyed home a shot fromJohn Terry’s flick off a corner kick.