Former Super Eagles captain and Chelsea midfielder, John Mikel Obi, has vehemently denied reports claiming he belittled 2018 Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric. The 37-year-old ex-international expressed his utmost respect for Modric and other Real Madrid legends, labeling the rumors as “bulls**t” and “fake news.”
Mikel Obi’s comments came after reports surfaced that he had favored Karim Adeyemi’s Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid. The reports claimed Mikel Obi stated that Modric, Carvajal, Kroos, and Nacho were not good enough to win the Champions League, sparking online backlash.
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In a recent interview on the Obi One Podcast, Mikel Obi set the record straight, saying, “That’s bulls**t. The human being who’d come out and say that Luka Modric, Carvajal, Kroos, and Nacho are not good enough is unbelievable. These guys are world-class footballers. I never said something like that, and I’ll never say something like that.”
Mikel Obi went on to praise Modric and the Real Madrid legends, stating, “My utmost respect goes out to these guys, they’ve made football what it is today. They’re the legends of the game, legends of Real Madrid. They’ve won the Champions League six times, and you say they’re not good? Come on.”
The former Super Eagles captain also tipped Dani Carvajal to win the Ballon d’Or, saying, “Carvajal is probably a Ballon d’Or nominee. For someone who knows the game and plays the game, I can never say something like that.”
Mikel Obi’s denial of the reports may have demonstrated his deep respect for fellow footballers and his commitment to promoting positivity in the sport. As a legendary figure in Nigerian football, his words carry weight, and his clarification on this matter sets the record straight.
