The African Football Confederation (CAF) and Chelsea Premier League giants sent birthday wishes to former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi who on Wednesday is tuning 33 years.
CAF and Chelsea took to their verified Twitter handles to send their wishes.
“Former national team captain, 2013 Total AFCON winner, Three third-place medals.
“Happy Birthday to Nigeria’s retired midfielder John Obi Mikel!” CAF wrote on their handle.
While Chelsea wrote: “The birthday boy!
“Have a great day, Mikel John Obi!”
Mikel represented Nigeria at the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Finland where the Golden Eaglets crashed out in the group stage.
He was a member of the Flying Eagles side that finished second at the 2005 U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands.
At the 2013 AFCON in South Africa, he helped Nigeria claim their third African title and also claimed bronze at the 2006, 2010 and 2019 editions.
He has represented the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups, and captained the U-23 Eagles that won bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
At club level he won the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League and Europa League with Chelsea.
On 17 March 2020, Mikel left Trabzonspor by mutual consent, days after expressing his concerns about the Turkish Super Lig continuing amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
