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By Our Correspondent

John Mikel Obi has rated UEFA Champions League and the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON titles as the best of trophies he won during his twenty-year football career.

The former Stoke City player won the UEFA Champions League in 2012 and the following year clinched the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON trophy in South Africa

Mikel, 35 who announced his retirement from football last week won 89 caps for Nigeria, played in two World Cups, 2014 and 2018 announced his retirement from international football three years ago.

Winning the biggest trophies for club and country is something that gives him satisfaction in a career that started in Jos and took him to Norway and China via England, Turkey and Kuwait.

“I always wanted to win the Champions League because it is the best football tournament in the world apart from the World Cup,” he added.

“To then win something with the national team was great. As a kid watching the likes of Jay-Jay Okocha and Kanu, I said I want to win something with the national team.

“I am so happy to have managed to do that. I will rank both of them top as my most cherished trophies.”

Mikel was also one of Nigeria’s three over-age players as the African side he was captaining won a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

That rewarding trip to South America eventually led to his Chelsea departure, whereupon he joined Chinese side Tianjin TEDA and then had a brief spell at Middlesbrough in 2019.

His time at the Riverside Stadium earned him a recall to the Nigeria squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, where he only managed two appearances as the Super Eagles finished third in Egypt.