Obi Mikel reveals what Mourinho told him about his idol Makelele when he just joined Chelsea

Former Super Eagles midfielder John Obi Mikel has shared revealing insights from his time at Chelsea, particularly regarding the influence of French football legend Claude Makélélé. 

In a recent episode of The Obi One Podcast, Mikel recounted his early days at the club, where he was encouraged by manager José Mourinho to learn from Makélélé, a player who has become synonymous with the defensive midfield role.

Mikel joined Chelsea in 2006 after a standout performance at the 2005 Fifa U20 World Cup, where he led Nigeria to the final, ultimately falling to Lionel Messi's Argentina.

Upon his arrival at Stamford Bridge, Mikel found himself in the same dressing room as Makélélé, who would soon leave the club for Paris Saint-Germain in 2008.

Reflecting on the impact Claude Makélélé had on his career, Mikel referred to the French midfielder as his mentor and shared how he spent nearly six months observing him in action.

"There's a position on the pitch named after him, he's my mentor, someone who inspired me when I joined obviously the biggest club for me in the world, Chelsea," he stated.

He added; "He taught me how to play this role. I learned for six months, almost a year I sat down watching and learning from this man, the one and only Claude Makélélé.

Reflecting on his interactions with Mourinho, Mikel recalled, "I joined the club when I was young. I was 18 and Mourinho pulled me into his office and said 'Listen, I want you to watch one player, sit down and watch Claude Makélélé how he plays this position."

He highlighted the significance of Makélélé's team-first mentality, emphasizing his selflessness and commitment to prioritizing the team's success over his own.

Mikel added: "My mentor, my idol in the position that I played. For me he's the greatest that has ever played in that position. You must be doing something right if you have a position named after you. Claude Makélélé is that man.

"He makes sure the structure of the team is there and making sure that he played for the team. It's about the team, it's not about him, it's not about the ego. It's about the team, it's about the club, the club is bigger than the player.

"Maka has shown that, all throughout his career that I'm going to have to put myself second. The football club is bigger than any individual and he's done that all his life, all his career, and that's why I'm so happy to have learned from him."

Mikel's time at Chelsea was marked by remarkable success. After eleven years with the club, he departed in January 2017 to join the Chinese club Tianjin TEDA on a free transfer.

During his tenure, Mikel amassed an impressive collection of trophies, including two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups, one Community Shield, the UEFA Champions League, and the UEFA Europa League. 

He made 249 appearances in the Premier League, scoring one goal and contributing 11 assists.

Adeyemi Adewale

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