Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has spoken about the awful experience he went through after kidnappers abducted his father just before Nigeria’s important 2018 FIFA World Cup match against Argentina.
Speaking in an interview on talkSPORT, he revealed he heard the awful news barely two hours before kickoff. According to him, his brother called to tell him that their father had been kidnapped for the second time. Mikel described the occurrence as shocking and heartbreaking, especially given that he was preparing for one of his career’s biggest matches.
“My dad got kidnapped while I was playing for the national team at the 2018 World Cup. We were about to play Argentina. Two hours before the game, my brother called me and told me that my dad had been kidnapped for the second time in Nigeria,” he said. 
Mikel explained that kidnappers had previously abducted his father and demanded a large ransom, which he paid before securing his release. He said the second kidnapping affected him even more because it happened while he was representing Nigeria at the World Cup.
He said he spent about 30 minutes alone in his room trying to decide what to do. Although he considered informing his manager and teammates, he eventually chose to keep the matter private.
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“I called my mum, and everyone was crying. They told me not to play because they felt I would not perform well,” he said.
Despite his emotional state, Mikel chose to play against Argentina. Nigeria was defeated and eliminated from the tournament. After the game, he notified his teammates and team members about the incident. He said some of them nearly broke down in tears after hearing what had happened.
Mikel also stated that he had paid another big ransom to guarantee his father’s release. He revealed that different criminal groups carried out the two kidnappings.
“The group that kidnapped him the second time was not the same group that kidnapped him the first time. Authorities later arrested members of both groups and sent them to prison,” he said.
Despite learning of his father’s abduction just hours before a key World Cup match, he chose to participate. His narrative gives an understanding of the emotional strain he felt during one of the most pivotal times of his football career.
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