Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has revealed the extraordinary lengths he went to ensure Nigeria’s football team participated in the 2016 Rio Olympics, shedding light on a financial crisis that nearly derailed the squad’s journey.
Speaking on That Peter Crouch Podcast, Mikel recounted how he personally funded the team’s travel to Brazil, a sacrifice that paved the way for Nigeria’s historic bronze medal win.
Named captain of Nigeria’s Olympic team, Mikel played a pivotal role both on and off the field. He scored his first Olympic goal in a 2-0 quarter-final victory over Denmark, helping the team secure a 3-2 win against Honduras in the bronze medal match.
This triumph made Nigeria the first nation to claim all three Olympic football medals: gold in 1996, silver in 2008, and bronze in 2016. However, the team’s success was nearly jeopardized by bureaucratic delays in funding.
Mikel disclosed that a government-approved budget was stalled by an official withholding funds, leaving the team stranded at their hotel with no means to travel. “We were sitting at the hotel, about to fly to Rio, but there was no money to pay for flights,” he said.
With players anxious and many facing their first major tournament, Mikel took decisive action. “I spoke to the coach, said how can we find a plane, we looked for a plane, and I had to pay for it,” he explained.
Despite footing the bill, Mikel has yet to be reimbursed nearly a decade later. However, he expressed no regrets, emphasizing the joy of seeing his young teammates achieve Olympic glory. “The joy that I take out of that is that we got there, and those young players were able to get an Olympic medal,” he said. “Knowing that they got a medal from the Olympics was more than the money.”
Mikel’s leadership and selflessness not only saved Nigeria’s Olympic campaign but also cemented his legacy as a national hero, inspiring a new generation of athletes.