John Mikel Obi has said he “was robbed” of the African footballer of the year award in 2013.
The former Nigerian international had a fantastic year in 2013, winning both the UEFA Europa League with his then-club Chelsea and the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) with Nigeria.
However Yaya Toure, the Ivory Coast midfielder, took home the prize that year, with Obi Mikel coming in second.
“I got robbed,” he said. And then going on to discuss what actually occurred prior to the awards.
“Before I went there I was told that I won it, I was in the airport flying to Nigeria (where the awards ceremony took place) and Man City were playing that night, but guess what happened, Yaya Toure got two goals and that swung it in his favor.”
In addition to winning the UEFA Champions League the previous year, Obi Mikel said he “knew he was supposed to win it[award].”
Mikel, who earned 91 Super Eagles caps, claimed that winning the continent’s premier event ought to have given him the best player award in Africa.
"I got robbed of the African Footballer of The Year Award. Before I went, I was told I won it"
– John Mikel Obi pic.twitter.com/BcYwaCOjlA
— 🐬 @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) February 16, 2023
“It doesn’t matter how many goals Yaya Toure scored, I won the AFCON and UEFA club competitions, I was in my prime playing lots of games.”
He continued: “Before he[Yaya Toure]was announced everybody left the stage because they knew I was supposed to have won it.”
John Obi Mikel went on to praise great managers like Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp as well as Mikel Arteta’s work at Arsenal. Along with that, he left open the possibility of coaching.
