Essien deserved more recognition – Mikel Obi
By Lukman MUMIN, Accra
Former Nigeria and Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi has expressed his view that Ghana’s Michael Essien never received the recognition he truly deserved during his playing days at Stamford Bridge.
Mikel, who shared the pitch with Essien during Chelsea’s successful years under José Mourinho and subsequent managers, made the comments during a segment on TNT Sports’ “Winner Stays On” challenge.
“Michael Essien didn’t get the recognition he deserved,” Mikel said. “We talked about so many great midfielders, not just at Chelsea but in the Premier League. We called him ‘the train’. When he goes, it is difficult to stop—power, speed, technique. He had everything.”
Essien joined Chelsea in 2005 from Olympique Lyon and quickly established himself as one of the most formidable midfielders in English football.
However, recurring injuries in the latter stages of his Chelsea career meant he didn’t feature as consistently, and many believe his contributions have not been fully acknowledged.
During their time together at Chelsea, Mikel and Essien played in 125 matches, winning 82, drawing 23, and losing just 20—an era that brought domestic and European success to the London club.
