CAF Robbed Me Of 2013 African Footballer Of The Year Award – Mikel

CAF Robbed Me Of 2013 African Footballer Of The Year Award – Mikel

Former Super Eagles captain Mikel Obi has accused CAF of denying him the chance of winning the 2013 African Footballer of the Year Award.

In a chat with Obi One Podcast, the former Chelsea star stated that he was robbed of the prestigious Award.

The 36-year-old Obi explained that unlike Yaya Toure who won nothing, he won three tournaments but lost the African award.

The former Chelsea midfielder played a major role in the Blues winning the UEFA Europa League as well as Nigeria’s winning the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

“In 2013, it was my trophy (CAF Award) to be won. I won the Africa Cup of Nations, I won the Champions League, the year before and the Europa League the year 2013.

“And Yaya only won… he didn’t win anything and coming into the ceremony, I thought I was winning, the information was that I was going to win it, I was told by CAF I was going to win it,” Mikel Obi said.

Mikel began his career with local club Plateau United, before joining Norwegian club Lyn at the age of 17 in 2004. In 2006, he made a controversial transfer to English club Chelsea after Manchester United claimed they had already signed him.

He stayed with Chelsea for 11 years, before moving to China with Tianjin TEDA in 2017. After two years in China, he returned to England on a short-term deal with Middlesbrough, before joining Trabzonspor on a free transfer in July 2019.

Mikel moved back to England in August 2020 joining Stoke City. In a 14-year international career between 2005 and 2019, he played 91 times for Nigeria, scoring six goals.