- Chelsea legend John Mikel Obi has hit the news with his all-time Premier League starting XI (1992 – 2025)
- The former Africa Cup of Nations champion with Nigeria’s Super Eagles also secured two Premier League titles during his time at Chelsea
- Mikel included expected talents, but also caused a stir when he omitted popular names such as Ryan Giggs and Michael Essien
Chelsea legend and Nigerian football icon John Mikel Obi has revealed his all-time Premier League XI, sparking debate and excitement among fans.
The former midfield maestro, known for his tactical intelligence and trophy-laden career at Stamford Bridge, made headlines with a mix of expected inclusions and surprising omissions.
Source: Getty Images
Mikel’s dream lineup features some of the greatest players to ever grace the English top flight, reflecting his years of experience playing alongside and against football’s elite, as noted by TalkSPORT.
However, the exclusion of a few big names, such as Michael Essien, has left supporters talking, as the ex-Super Eagles captain shared his personal choices in what he described as his “ultimate Premier League team.”
Now, check out Mikel Obi’s Premier League all-time XI below.
Goalkeeper: Petr Cech
Mikel revealed he considered Peter Schmeichel but ultimately chose Petr Čech, saying he “couldn’t leave him out” due to Čech holding the record for the most clean sheets in Premier League history.
Back in the day, when a goalkeeper’s main job was simply to keep the ball out of the net, Čech did it brilliantly, recording 202 shutouts, according to Transfermarkt.
Source: Getty Images
Right-back: Kyle Walker
One of only two active Premier League players in Mikel’s all-time XI, Walker earns his spot thanks to his dominant years at Manchester City, where he lifted the league title six times.
At his peak, the Man City legend was virtually impossible to beat, and even Pep Guardiola praised him ahead of City’s reunion with the full-back in September, calling him “one of the greatest full-backs ever” and admitting he “slept like a baby” knowing Walker could handle the world’s top wingers with ease.
Centre-back: John Terry
Mikel didn’t hesitate when picking his first centre-back, as he picked his ex-Chelsea teammate, John Terry. While Chelsea players feature prominently in his XI, Terry’s inclusion isn’t controversial.
The former defender led some of Chelsea’s greatest teams, helping the club secure five Premier League titles and scoring more goals than any other defender in English top-flight history.
Centre-back: Tony Adams
Choosing Terry’s defensive partner proved a hard decision for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations champion. Mikel surprised many by opting for Arsenal legend Tony Adams over players like Rio Ferdinand, Sol Campbell, or Virgil van Dijk.
He explained that Rio was amazing, but Adams had that presence and was strong, aggressive, a real unit. On Van Dijk, Mikel Obi pointed out that the Dutch star is brilliant, but would struggle against the strikers of his era, such as Wayne Rooney, Thierry Henry, and Didier Drogba.
Left-back: Ashley Cole
For the left-back position, Mikel made a clear choice, insisting that Ashley Cole deserved the spot. He believes Cole is the best left-back in Premier League history, noting that while Patrice Evra is a friend, Cole’s performances for Chelsea and Arsenal were on another level.
Even with modern players like Andy Robertson in the mix, Cole remains the standard for excellence in the role.
Right-midfield: Mohamed Salah
Mikel included Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, one of only two active Premier League players, in his XI. He praised Salah’s record-breaking exploits but noted, he would have loved to see him make more impact in big games.
Central-midfield: Paul Scholes
Mikel’s playmaker spot went to the Manchester United great Paul Scholes, leaving out icons like Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira, Steven Gerrard, and even his former teammate Frank Lampard.
The ex-Nigerian insisted that if he were building a 4-3-3, he would pick Keane, Vieira, and Gerrard, but they’re very similar. As such, he settled on Scholes.
Central-midfield: N’Golo Kanté
For the defensive midfield role, Mikel opted for N’Golo Kanté over legends like Vieira, Keane, Claude Makele, and Michael Essien. The former Stoke City player explained that, in his ideal team, he needs someone who can break up play, cover ground, and dictate the tempo, and Kante does that brilliantly.
Left-midfield: Eden Hazard
For the left-sided midfield position, Mikel didn’t hesitate to name Eden Hazard, hailing the Belgian as one of the best players he had ever played with. According to Mikel Obi, Ryan Giggs was incredible for over 20 years, but in terms of sheer quality, Hazard was exceptional.
Striker: Didier Drogba & Thierry Henry
Finally, Didier Drogba secured his place, giving Chelsea a strong presence up front, while Mikel completed the dream XI with Thierry Henry.
For this selection, Mikel Obi said, Henry could play No.10 or No.9; his pace, power, and skill made him unstoppable for a few years. Nobody could stop him.
In total, six former Chelsea players feature in Mikel’s all-time Premier League XI, reflecting both his personal experiences and his eye for pure quality over stats alone.
Mikel rated Michael Essien over Makele, Kante
In an earlier report, YEN.com.gh reported that Mikel Obi praised Michael Essien, highlighting his influence at Chelsea, as he picked the Ghanaian over legends N’Golo Kanté and Claude Makélélé.
Mikel celebrated how all three midfielders left a lasting mark on the Blues with their dominance and consistency.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Source: Yen.com.gh
