Lampard, Gerrard, or Scholes? — Super Eagles legend MIkel ends longstanding debate

Former Chelsea midfielder and Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has weighed in on one of football’s most hotly debated topics: who was the toughest midfielder to face between Frank Lampard, Paul Scholes, and Steven Gerrard.

In a career that saw him share the pitch with all three legends, Mikel gave a definitive answer that might surprise some.

Mikel and Lampard were were teammates at Chelsea for eight years, helping the Blues to a Premier League title, Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, League Cup, and Community Shield.

Against Paul Scholes, Mikel played five times, but his real battles came with Steven Gerrard, facing him 16 times and ending up on the losing side in nine of those encounters.

Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, Mikel said: "Obviously, we had the pleasure of playing against them, but I would always say Steven Gerrard was my toughest opponent."

Explaining why Gerrard got the nod, Mikel was full of praise for the Liverpool icon’s complete skill set. "He was the guy that, like you said, can run, can shoot, can tackle, can do everything, can head," Mikel recalled.

He also highlighted Gerrard’s perfect shooting technique, noting: "He's always like that; the technique is so perfect that once he gets it right, it’s in the back of the net. It’s a perfect way to describe those guys; all three of them: Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, and Paul Scholes."

Gerrard’s career remains legendary. A one-club man at Liverpool for nearly two decades, lifting multiple trophies, before turning to management, where he famously led Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title.