Kanu and Jay Jay were my idols despite not winning much — Super Eagles legend Mikel reveals

Despite a glittering career that saw him lift the UEFA Champions League, the Premier League, and the Africa Cup of Nations, former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel still holds two players above himself: Nwankwo Kanu and Jay Jay Okocha.

Speaking in a recent interview on That Peter Crouch Podcast, Mikel explained how the two Nigerian greats shaped his footballing dreams long before he became a household name.

When asked about his footballing inspirations, Mikel did not hesitate to name Kanu and Okocha as the legends he idolised growing up in Nigeria.

“Kanu obviously paved the way for me growing up. Kanu and Jay Jay [Okocha]. They were the two that paved the way for us growing up,” Mikel told Peter Crouch.

While many fans compare trophy hauls and accolades, Mikel made it clear that the influence of these two men went beyond silverware, as they were ambassadors of Nigerian football’s quality and opened doors for future generations.

Although Mikel himself won numerous titles with Chelsea, including two Premier Leagues, a Champions League, and several FA Cups, he humbly dismissed comparisons, adding, “People say ‘But Mikel, you were so much [more] successful than they are because you won so much and they never did.’

“Kanu won the Champions League and the Premier League with Arsenal. But Jay Jay, with so much talent that he had, he didn’t manage to win anything, but you can’t take that away from him. He was a fantastic, unbelievable player.

Kanu and Okocha might not have the overflowing trophy cabinets of their European contemporaries, but their legacies are etched in Nigerian football history.

Okocha dazzled with his skill and flair, becoming a fan favourite during Nigeria’s debut World Cup in 1994 and winning the AFCON the same year.

Kanu, meanwhile, lifted the Champions League with Ajax and the Premier League with Arsenal, but his most iconic moment remains the 1996 Olympic gold medal in Atlanta, a triumph he shared with Okocha and one that changed global perceptions of African football.

Their impact went beyond the pitch, and for Mikel and countless others, they symbolised what was possible in Nigerian football. “Those guys, for me, they will always remain the guys that paved the way for me. They were my idols growing up,” he concluded.

Given the legendary careers that both Kanu and Okocha went had, it is fairly certain that Mikel is not the only Nigerian football icon who feels this way.