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- African Cup of Legends of Nations
John Obi Mikel and Michael Essien enjoyed great success together as part of Chelsea’s midfield, but only one can advance to the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Legends Nations Cup.
Essien sent off another great midfielder from the past decade, Seydou Keita, to advance from the First Round, while Mikel continued the Chelsea issue with the victory over Geremi from Cameroon.
However, each of these two will have their work cut to reach the last eight.
Despite being part of an excellent Ghanaian generation, Essien only appeared in three African Cup of Nations tournaments, largely as a result of injury problems that undermined his career.
While reaching the final in 2010, the Black Stars finally fell short at the hands of Egypt. Mikel went one further as part of Stephen Keshi’s good side and got the big one in 2013.
The Nigerian also reached four Afcon semifinals during his international career, and recently finished third in 2019.
He missed three editions between 2012 and 2017, but participated in three World Cups, reaching the last 16 in Brazil 2014.
While Essien was present at Ghana’s debut presentation and career to the bottom 16 in 2006, the injury denied him a place in the team that reached the fourths four years later.
Essien: 10/25 Mikel: 25/25
These two are immensely decorated at the club level, and most of their silverware comes as part of Chelsea’s magnificent wave of successes under the likes of José Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Roberto Di Matteo.
Essien won two medals from the Premier League winner at Chelsea and was an unused substitute in the 2012 Champions League final, where Mikel participated in the victory over Bayern Munich.
They both won three FA Cups with Chelsea, although while the Nigerian was still in for the Europa League win in 2013, by which time Essien was gone, The Bison won two Ligue 1 titles as part of a magnificent Olympique Lyonnais team.
Essien: 16 Mikel: 15
Essien comfortably beats Mikel here, probably a testament to his being seen as a much more dynamic and impactful player during his peak years.
The midfield power never won the Caf African Footballer of the Year award, among the best continental stars who did not, although she did get the BBC award version.
However, he made it to the Caf podium five times and, in fact, no one has finished third more times than the Ghanaian star.
The midfielder was the Ligue 1 Player of the Year in 2005, just the third African player after Ali Benarbia and Didier Drogba to win the award, and was named to the Caf Team of the Year four times.
Mikel was never really in dispute for these kinds of honors during his career, having won many individual accolades when he was young, both for Chelsea and at the FIFA World Youth Championship.
Twice he made it to the Nations Cup Tournament Team, once he finished second in the African Player of the Year award, and twice he was the Caf Team of the Year.
Did Mikel deserve more individual praise during his career?
Essien: 10 Mikel: 3
At his best, before the injury hit, Essien was a complete central midfielder and offered a level of performance that Mikel could not match.
He could tackle, he could drive forward with the ball at his feet, he could pass and sometimes weigh with a goal or two.
His strength, energy, and determination were key attributes, and Essien was smart and versatile enough to be recruited into a law role when necessary.
The Bison was signed twice by Jose Mourinho, whom he refers to as dad, and could have had an even higher score here if an injury hadn’t intervened.
While Mikel once threatened to become Nigeria’s next great creator of games in midfield, he eventually ended up being seen as a consistent and reliable, albeit somewhat limited, water carrier in midfield.
11 years of service and 250 Premier League games tell the story of a player who defended himself at the highest level, only once (in 2014-15) making fewer than 22 appearances in a season with players like Mourinho, Ancelotti and Guus. Hiddink.
He was comfortable playing against the best in the final business of the Champions League, and he also flexed his muscles more offensively while in action for the Super Eagles.
Essien: 22 Mikel: 17
It is another tight competition for these two midfielders, who advanced difficult tasks in the First Round, but this time, it is Mikel who misses.
The Nigerian midfielder enjoyed more international success with the Super Eagles than Essien with Ghana, although that would have been different if The Bison had not suffered such devastating injuries at such crucial moments, although that is his only “victory” in all four categories.
Essien’s quality at his peak, his advantage from his previous successes at Chelsea with Olympique Lyonnais, and his greatest individual recognition during his career sends him to the last eight.
Essien 58 Mikel: 53
