Mikel John Obi bids farewell to football Getty Images
Mikel Obi announces retirement from football
Mikel John Obi announced his retirement from football aged 35 years; Edwin Emeanua reports for Sports Joust.
The Former Chelsea midfielder moved from Norwegian side Lyn FK to Chelsea in 2006 following a protracted legal tussle that forced Chelsea to pay the penalty to Manchester United, who Obi had initially agreed to sign with before allegedly reneging to do so.
Obi spent 11 years at Stamford Bridge, making 372 appearances for Chelsea and lifting two Premier Leagues cups, three FA Cups, the 2011/12 Champions League, and the 2012/13 Europa League.
Obi joined Chinese club side Tianjin in 2017 before moving on to greener pastures with Middlesbrough, Trabzonspor, Stoke City, and Kuwait, SC. Obi left Kuwait, SC, in November 2021.
Obi stated on his Instagram account: “There is a saying that all good things must come to an end, and for my professional football career, that day is today.
“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.
‘This (achievement) would not have been possible without the unwavering support of my family, managers, clubs, coaches, teammates, and, most importantly, my ever-loyal fans.
“You (Fans) supported me through my highs and lows, even on days when I did not live up to your expectations. I say a big thank you.
“I will also like to encourage everyone I may have inspired one way or the other in 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 the future and hope you will walk with me. Thank you.”
