Dribbling past Ronaldinho won John Terry's trust, says Mikel

Posted : 24 October 2023

Chelsea and Super Eagles legend John Obi Mikel has provided insights into a pivotal moment in his career, shedding light on the game that earned him the trust and recognition of the legendary Chelsea captain, John Terry, during their shared journey at Stamford Bridge.

Mikel, who established himself as a formidable central midfielder with exceptional positional awareness, devoted ten and a half years to Chelsea, amassing an impressive collection of silverware along the way. This included two Premier League titles, four FA Cup victories, two League Cup triumphs, and a remarkable double of the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.

However, despite his success, Mikel revealed that it took three years for him to be fully embraced within the inner circle at Chelsea. It was only after an outstanding performance in a pre-season friendly match against AC Milan on July 25, 2009, at the M&T Bank Stadium that he secured the trust of John Terry, who was not only the club's captain but also its iconic leader.

Mikel fondly recollected that John Terry, known for his unwavering dedication and leadership on the pitch, was meticulous about ensuring that everything was organized and executed correctly. Terry consistently set an example by being the first to arrive at training and the last to leave.

It was during the AC Milan pre-season friendly, which featured football legends such as Ronaldinho, Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Gattuso, and Andrea Pirlo, that John Terry began to accept Mikel as a top-class Chelsea player. Mikel's exceptional performance, including dribbling past the likes of Ronaldinho, left an indelible mark and indicated that he was ready to take on a more prominent role within the squad.

Recalling this memorable moment on The Obi One Podcast, Mikel stated, "There was a game we were playing, it was a friendly game before the 2010 (2009) season started. I think it was against AC Milan, we played the game during the Ancelotti time and then I was just feeling the game. Sometimes a football player walks on the pitch, like this is my day, things are going right."

As he further elaborated, Mikel shared the essence of that moment: "As a football player, the first thing you need to do at the start of the game is to make sure your first pass is a good pass because that's going to follow you the rest of the game. What you have to do, even if you have to pass it to the goalkeeper, just play a simple pass."

Mikel's splendid performance against AC Milan that day marked the beginning of one of his most memorable seasons under the management of Carlo Ancelotti. He played an instrumental role in the squad, with a strong impact on the team's success, until an unfortunate injury temporarily sidelined him.

This revelation not only provides a unique insight into the dynamics of the Chelsea squad during that era but also underscores the role of trust and camaraderie in a successful football team.

Mikel was initially named in Nigeria's squad for the 2010 World Cup but was later replaced by Brown Ideye after undergoing surgery for a knee injury.

Dribbling past Ronaldinho won John Terry's trust, says Mikel

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