“I’m the Zidane of Super Eagles’ – John Obi Mikel recounts his Nigeria excellence

In an engaging episode of his podcast, “Obi One,” former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel likened himself to the great French legend Zinedine Zidane.

Mikel had a lively exchange with his ex-teammate, Eden Hazard, about their playing days and beyond in which the topic of penalty-taking skills popped up.

Despite facing challenges, including a suspension from national team activities and missing out on the 2010 FIFA World Cup due to injury, Mikel’s commitment to the Nigerian squad never wavered.

Hazard playfully questioned Mikel’s penalty-taking prowess, “John, did you score a penalty in your life?”

The Nigerian then made a bold comparison between himself and the French football legend, Zinedine Zidane, in the context of his role in the Nigeria national team as he doesn’t have many goals in Chelsea’s shirt.

“In Nigeria, I used to shoot the penalties. In the Nigeria national team, I was the Zidane,” he responded.

Mikel Obi’s comparison to Zidane may be seen as a bold statement, but it reflects the weight of his contributions and the high regard in which he holds his international career.