John Obi Mikel Reveals The Toughest Opponent He Faced

In his reflections on his professional football career, former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has identified Lionel Messi, the former Barcelona captain, as the best player he ever played against. Mikel faced Messi both at the national level against Argentina and with Chelsea against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League.

When asked about the best player he encountered, Mikel praised Messi, “stating that the Inter Miami captain is on a different level. He emphasized the challenges of defending against Messi, highlighting the need for a strategic game plan and multiple players to contain him.”

Mikel acknowledged Messi’s exceptional skills, describing his ball control, passing, and overall gameplay as extraordinary. While acknowledging the comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo, Mikel expressed his belief that Messi is on a different level, describing him as being “from a different planet” due to his exceptional abilities on the field.