Top 3 Nigerian players of the decade

Nigeria v Iceland: Group D - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia
Nigeria v Iceland: Group D - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia

#1 John Obi Mikel

John Obi Mikel in action for Nigeria
John Obi Mikel in action for Nigeria

John Obi Mikel is one of the most decorated African midfielders in the history of football. The tough-tackling midfielder spent a decade playing football for English giants Chelsea after joining the Blues as a youngster in 2006.

His consistency and continuous improvement ensured that he stayed at Stamford Bridge for many years despite the frequent changes in managers.

He played a key role while at Chelsea, winning the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, English Premier League, and the FA Cup. The icing on the cake for Mikel's glittering career was in 2013 when he captained the Super Eagles to Africa Cup of Nations glory in South Africa.

He later led the Nigerian U-23 side to an Olympic bronze medal in the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. After 89 caps for the Nigerian football team, Mikel retired to give room for the new crop of exciting youngsters like Leicester City's Wilfred Ndidi.

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