Chelsea hero John Mikel Obi on Tuesday, announced his retirement from professional football.
The 35-year-old spent 11 years as a Chelsea player from 2006 to 2017, and won numerous honours at Stamford Bridge.
Announcing his retirement, Mikel wrote an emotional statement on his social media page: “There is a saying that “all good things must come to an end’, and for my professional football career, that day is today.
“I look back at the past 20 years of my career, and I must say that I am very satisfied with all that I was able to achieve and more importantly the human it has helped shape.
“All of this would not have been possible without the unwavering support of my family, managers, clubs, coaches, teammates and most importantly my ever-loyal fans.
“You supported me through my highs and lows, even on days that I did not live up to your expectations. I say a big thank you.
“I will also like to encourage everyone who I may have inspired one way or the other in the course of my career to never give up on their dreams, for every time you think about quitting, remind yourself why you started.
“This is not goodbye, it’s the start of another journey, another chapter of my life. I look forward to what the future holds and I hope you will walk with me. Thank you.”
Chelsea fans have praised Mikel for his extraordinary career.