Real Madrid and Brazil legend Roberto Carlos has named Chelsea icon John Obi Mikel as the most skillful player in the history of football.

Carlos made the revelation while speaking on The Obi One podcast, where he was asked to build his perfect footballer by selecting attributes from different players. 

Mikel, who enjoyed an illustrious 11-year spell at Chelsea, remains one of Nigeria's most decorated footballers. 

His calmness, creativity, and composure first came to global attention at the 2005 Fifa U20 World Cup in the Netherlands, where he finished as runner-up in the Player of the Tournament award behind Lionel Messi, helping Nigeria reach the final.

Carlos acknowledged those qualities, describing Mikel as an exceptionally intelligent midfielder, whose technical ability often went underappreciated during his career.

When asked to create his ideal footballer, Carlos selected Kylian Mbappé's pace, Vinícius Júnior's finishing, David Beckham's crossing, Cristiano Ronaldo's first touch, Dunga's leadership, Ronaldo Nazário's strength and John Obi Mikel's skill.

During his playing career, Mikel won numerous honours with Chelsea, including two Premier League titles, four FA Cup trophies, and both the UEFA Champions League and Europa League.

He also enjoyed success on the international stage, securing the Africa Cup of Nations title with the Super Eagles in 2013 and an Olympic bronze medal in 2016.

Adeyemi Adewale