Mikel John Obi: Career Stats, Clubs, Age & Nationality

Mikel John Obi: profile

Mikel John Obi (born 22 April 1987 in Jos, Nigeria) is a former Nigerian footballer who played as a midfielder.

Obi made the step into senior football with Lyn 1896 FK in 2004. He played for 7 clubs in 5 countries between 2004 and 2021. His most appearances came at Chelsea F.C. (2006–2017), where he made 249 appearances and scored 1 goal. Across all recorded club spells he totals 362 appearances and 6 goals.

At international level, Obi represented Nigeria (2006–2019), earning 91 caps and scoring 6 goals. Our match database lists 5 of his international goals; the first came against Zimbabwe on 27 January 2006 (Africa Cup of Nations). He also played for Nigeria at under-20 level.

Jos has produced 55 footballers in our database, including Ahmed Musa, Victor Obinna and Moses Simon.

Key facts

Senior international debut: 2006 (aged about 19)
First international goal: 2006 – aged 18 (match)
Club career: 2004–2021 (18 seasons)
Countries played in: 5: Norway, United Kingdom, People's Republic of China, Turkey and Kuwait
Club goals per game: 0.02 (6 in 362)
Height: 188 cm — taller than 84% of Nigerian internationals on record
Latest move: Kuwait SC (2021)
Shares a birthday with: Ezechiel N'Douassel, Toni Payne and Radwan Yasser (more)

Club career

Years	Club	League	Apps	Goals
2004–2006	Lyn 1896 FK	1. divisjon football	6	1
2006–2017	Chelsea F.C.	Premier League	249	1
2017–2018	Tianjin Jinmen Tiger F.C.	Chinese Super League	31	3
2019	Middlesbrough F.C.	EFL Championship	18	1
2019–2020	Trabzonspor	Süper Lig	19	0
2020–2021	Stoke City F.C.	EFL Championship	39	0
2021	Kuwait SC	Kuwaiti Premier League	0	0
	Total		362	6

Appearances and goals are league figures where recorded on Wikidata; “–” means not recorded.

International career

Years	Team	Level	Caps	Goals
2005	Nigeria U20	Under-20	–	–
2006–2019	Nigeria	Senior	91	6

International goals (5)

#	Date	Match	Min	Competition
1	27 Jan 2006	Nigeria 2–0 Zimbabwe	60	Africa Cup of Nations
2	29 Jan 2008	Nigeria 2–0 Benin	53	Africa Cup of Nations
3	20 Jun 2013	Nigeria 1–2 Uruguay	37	FIFA Confederations Cup
4	12 Nov 2016	Nigeria 3–1 Algeria	41	World Cup Qualification
5	1 Sep 2017	Nigeria 4–0 Cameroon	43	World Cup Qualification

*Goals listed are those present in our match-by-match goal database, which is most complete for tournament matches.

Frequently asked questions

How old is Mikel John Obi?

Mikel John Obi was born on 22 April 1987, which makes him 39 years old.

Where was Mikel John Obi born?

Mikel John Obi was born in Jos, Nigeria.

Which national team does Mikel John Obi play for?

Mikel John Obi played international football for Nigeria. He has 91 caps and 6 goals on record.

Which clubs has Mikel John Obi played for?

Mikel John Obi's recorded clubs are Lyn 1896 FK, Chelsea F.C., Tianjin Jinmen Tiger F.C., Middlesbrough F.C., Trabzonspor, Stoke City F.C. and Kuwait SC.

How tall is Mikel John Obi?

Mikel John Obi is 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) tall.

What position does Mikel John Obi play?

Mikel John Obi played as a midfielder.