Mikel Obi Biography & Net Worth (2024)
This post on John Mikel Obi’s Net Worth (Forbes ranking) will talk more about Nigerian born and former Chelsea midfielder, John Michael Nchekwube Obinna, also known as John Mikel Obi.
Mikel Obi
Mikel Obi is a Nigerian born professional footballer who formerly plied his trade at Tiajin TEDA, a football club in the Chinese League. He left Chelsea Football Club in England Top Division side i.e the Barclay’s Premier League to China recently in a £140,000 weekly salary. In Nigeria, he is seen as one of the most decorated African footballers and he is also among the list of richest footballers in Nigeria.
Brief Biography of Mikel Obi
John Mikel Obi whose full name is John Michael Nchekwube Obinna was born 22 March 1987 in Jos, Plateau state but hails from Anambra state, Southeast Nigeria. He is from the Igbo speaking tribe.
On 12 March 2011, Mikel’s father, Michael Obi, was kidnapped in Nigeria. Although Mikel was informed before a match played at Stanford against Stoke City in the Premier League, Mikel played. He made a plea on Sky Sports News to the abductors to release his father,
“I’ve always tried to help the country, this is the time for the country to help me, whoever knows where my dad is should please contact me.”
Mikel Obi’s father, Michael Obi was later found alive on 22 March 2011, in Kano state, Nigeria.
Football Career of Mikel Obi
Before Mikel signed officially for Chelsea FC from Norwegian side Lyn Oslo in 2006, he almost joined Manchester United in a £12 million deal. Mikel later signed for Chelsea where he plays as a defensive midfielder.
Mikel Obi salary was formerly earning £82,000 per week in Chelsea plus other add-ons and bonuses. As earlier said, he is now earning N78 million a year at the Chinese League. He was currently the longest serving player presently after John Terry and was tipped to be Chelsea Football Club next captain before his transfer. He is also the current captain for the super eagles.
After he quit the Chinese League, Mikel Obi’s signed for Middlesbrough in 2019 March transfer window as a free agent. He later joined Trabzonspor in the Turkish league in 2024. Due to a comment about the coronavirus pandemic, in which Mikel condemned the activities of the Turkish league to still feild players to play in the midst of global crisis, Trabzonspor terminated Mikel’s contract this March.
Currently, Mikel Obi is a free agent with no club.
Mikel Obi Endorsements
Aside from playing football, Mikel has signed deals with top brands where he earns a lot of money by being their brand ambassador. In 2014, He was reported to have signed a five year deal with Amstel Malta worth N800 million alongside top Nigerian actress Genevieve Nnaji. Mikel obi was said to be the only African celebrity to have ever signed the highest endorsement contract.
He also signed a deal worth N20 million for two years with Peak, a giant milk producing brand in Nigeria. As of writing this post, Mikel obi isn’t married but Mikel Obi has a daughter from his Russian spouse, a model. Mikel Obi House is said be worth over £200,000. Mikel Obi cars includes Range Rover Sport, a Bently Continetal GT, and a Mercedes G-Wagon worth the sum of £650,000.
Although a host of clubs are seeking John Mikel Obi’s signature, especially Chinese and Turkish clubs, he has signed a contract with his current club, Tiajin TEDA for £140, 000 a week.
He has since quit Tianjin TEDA and is currently a midfielder for Turkish club Trabzonspor.
John Obi Mikel total net worth currently is estimated to be at $60Million this 2024.
Mikel Obi and Davido: Who is Richer?
The debate as to who is the richest between Mikel and Davido, or Mikel and Hush puppy, Wizkid, Psquare and other musicians is something ongoing and I would like to clarify these questions.
You can never compare the money made by a footballer and a musician. The reason is that footballers are more wealthy than musicians in Nigeria because they are paid weekly in pounds.
Mikel obi is far richer than Davido, P-square, Wizkid, Don-jazzy, etc. You can see that his net worth in dollars is $60m and would still increase as compared to other musicians in the country.
