Michael Essien during his time at Chelsea
Former Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi has paid glowing tribute to his ex-teammate Michael Essien, describing the Ghanaian as one of the most complete players he ever shared a pitch with.
In a recent conversation, Mikel was asked to choose between midfield legends Claude Makélélé and Michael Essien in a “winners stay on” game, but the Nigerian struggled to pick, instead launching into a passionate praise of the man they used to call “The Train.”
“What a player. He didn’t get the recognition that he deserved. We talk about so many good midfielders, not just at Chelsea, in the Premier League. Michael Essien, oh my God. We called him The Train,” Mikel said.
According to Mikel, the nickname wasn’t just for show, it captured the sheer power and relentlessness of Essien’s game.
“When he goes, it’s difficult to stop. Power, speed, technique, everything, he had.”
Pressed for a final answer, Mikel eventually leaned in favour of the former Real Madrid player.
“I think I might just go with Essien,” he added.
The conversation later turned to N’Golo Kanté, another midfield dynamo who was often compared to Essien for his engine and defensive work rate.
Despite not playing alongside Kanté at Chelsea, Mikel still had high praise for the Frenchman.
“I didn’t play with him, but I think he’s a guy who can run for the whole team. He can cover a whole pitch. Sometimes, as footballers, we do get tired, he never does. He just keeps running and keeps going,” Mikel said.
Still, when asked to choose between the two, his admiration for Essien stood firm.
“But what Essien did, you know, it’s a tough one. I’ll go with Essien.”
Mikel emphasised Essien’s incredible versatility and selflessness, qualities that made him indispensable at Stamford Bridge during his prime years.
“He never got the recognition that he deserved. He played right back for us sometimes when we were out of defenders. He played centre back. He played as a holding midfielder. He did everything for us. Every position he played, he was reliable for us,” Mikel further stated.
Even in the context of comparing Chelsea’s current midfield talents, Mikel was quick to underline that Essien remains in a class of his own.
When asked to weigh up Moisés Caicedo against Essien, Mikel was diplomatic yet decisive.
“I think young players still have a lot to achieve. The talent is there, you can see he has so many qualities to be much better. There’s so much he can still improve and be much better. He needs to achieve more for me. So, I will still go with Michael Essien,” he noted.
Essien, who played for Chelsea between 2005 and 2014, won two Premier League titles, three FA Cups, and the UEFA Champions League in 2012. Yet, as Mikel pointed out, his impact often went underappreciated.
Watch the interview below:
FKA/MA
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