Top 10 Nigerian players of all time 

#4 John Obi Mikel

Big things were expected from John Obi Mikel after his starring role in guiding Nigeria to a second-placed finish at the 2005 World Youth Championship in The Netherlands and for his efforts, he was named as the second Most Valuable Player of the Tournament behind a certain Lionel Messi.

Many opined that Mikel had a better tournament than the Argentine icon and it was symbolic that they were comparable at age-grade level but that was where it ended, as whereas Messi went on to become one of the all-time greats, Mikel still had a solid career that did not quite match expectations.

This is in no way to suggest that his career was beneath par, far from that, as he was an integral part of the all-conquering Chelsea teams that redefined English football.

Mikel ended his Chelsea spell by winning all the major trophies including the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League, while he was also instrumental in Nigeria's triumph at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

Mikel also captained Nigeria to a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games and won silver at the 2008 edition.

His conversion from attacking midfield to holding midfield had a telling impact on his national team career, as he did not morph into the player many expected but he made 89 appearances for the Super Eagles before announcing his retirement after the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.