By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Former Nigeria captain and Chelsea legend John Mikel Obi has delivered a scathing assessment of Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson following Chelsea’s Club World Cup semi-final win over Fluminense.
Despite Chelsea’s 2–0 victory, secured by a brace from new signing João Pedro, Mikel expressed concerns over Jackson’s performance, questioning his discipline and current standing within the squad.
Speaking to DAZN after the match, Mikel said: “It is important we have competition in the team.
“It’s very important when you play for a big club and are competing for trophies — and that is what we have now. Three good strikers competing for one position.”
“With Delap and João, that competition is going to push the players to go extra hard. But I still think Jackson has a big part to play. He just needs to sort himself out in terms of discipline and what he wants to do here.”
“With his performance today, though, João and Delap are probably ahead of him right now.”
Jackson has been under scrutiny in recent weeks and could face limited playing time if his form doesn’t improve.
Despite reported interest from other top European clubs, Chelsea are reportedly unwilling to sanction a sale, especially with the striker expected to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in January.
The Blues will face either Al Ahly or Manchester City in the Club World Cup final.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
