Nigerian player John Mikel Obi retires after 18 years

  Nigeria captain and national player John mikel obi retires from football after 18 years of his career saying that he is proud of what he has achieved in the past years.

The midfielder,  lifted the Champions League with Chelsea in 2012, won 89 caps for Nigeria and helped the Super Eagles win the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, before retiring from international football in 2019.

The largest highlights of his career came during the  eleven trophy-encumbered years at Stamford Bridge, even supposing it took him till his 185th sport for the membership to attain his first goal. 

  

 He made 249 Premier League appearances in concerned with the London membership, including the Europa League,  Premier Leagues, 4 FA Cups and  League Cups to the European crown.

"There is a saying that 'all good things must come to an end', and for my professional football career, that day is today," Mikel said on his Instagram handle "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, team-mates and most importantly my ever-loyal fans," he added.

"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."

The nigerian midfielder came to worldwide recognition at Norwegian membership Lyn Oslo following Man United`s first-rate switch combat with Chelsea for his signature as a teenager. 

  

 One of Premier League football's maximum complicated signings noticed Mikel first of all signing for Manchester United in 2005, a yr whilst he received the Silver Ball on the Under-20 World Cup, earlier than later announcing he turned into forced to do so - having signed simply days after turning 18 against "my personal loose will". 

  

 He in the long run joined Chelsea the subsequent yr, staying till 2017 whereupon he performed for Chinese facet Tianjin Teda and Turkish membership Trabzonspor earlier than spells withinside the Championship with Middlesbrough and Stoke City.

The 7th child in a own circle of relatives of eight, he was at the books of Norwegian membership Lyn Oslo earlier than the highly-publicised dispute among the Red Devils and the Blues in 2005, with the participant skipping education in Norway amidst misguided reviews he had been abducted. 

  

 His father was abducted two times in the course of his profession, to Mikel`s significant dismay, however at Chelsea the Nigerian developed right into a protecting midfielder of peerless intelligence and insouciance. 

  

 He will move down as one in every of Nigeria's finest players, having earned his spot many of the u . s .'s maximum embellished footballers even supposing he changed into a polarising figure, similarly cherished and criticised through disturbing enthusiasts from Africa's maximum populous nation. 

  

 He left his mark at  World Cups, received a Nations Cup, captained his u . s . to an Olympic bronze medal (2016) and achieved unforgettably on the Under-20 World Cup in 2005, a degree in his profession whilst he changed into referred to as a free-scoring field-to-field midfielder. 

  

 For Chelsea enthusiasts, they may usually have that superb Champions League very last night time in 2012, whilst Mikel changed into named guy of the match.