Mikel hails Osimhen’s Ballon d’Or feat

Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has praised Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen’s achievement of finishing eighth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or rankings, describing it as a milestone he and other Nigerian football legends never reached, Sunday PidomNigeria reports.

Mikel made the remarks during an episode of the Obi One Podcast, which he co-hosts with British sports broadcaster Chris McHardy, congratulating Osimhen for his recognition among the world’s best footballers.

The former Chelsea midfielder, who won several major trophies during his career, including the UEFA Champions League and Premier League titles, said the feat represented a new level for Nigerian football, noting that even celebrated Nigerian players such as himself, Austin Okocha (Jay Jay) and Nwankwo Kanu never achieved such a ranking.

“I am still the most successful, decorated football player in the gym. Yes, yes. But I think, you know, he is obviously, he got an award that I never got. Number eight in the world. That is absolutely, absolutely amazing. I must say congratulations.

“I mean, the season you had, it was fantastic. And I never got to that stage. And this is a different stage. You have raised the level. You have raised the bar so high,” Mikel said.

Reflecting on the ranking, which placed Osimhen behind players including Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, Mikel asked the striker how it felt to sit among such company.

Responding, Osimhen thanked Mikel for his contribution to Nigerian football, describing him as a major inspiration for aspiring players.

“Thank you. First of all, I have to tell you something, Chris. You know, the man sitting next to you has been a big inspiration for me and aspiring football players. He has been a household name. I have to give him his flowers.

“He has been an amazing legend for us, an amazing example on and off the pitch. His life, his character. I am not just saying this because I am live with you guys and he is here. I used to say this to every aspiring footballer,” Osimhen said.

Osimhen’s 8th-place finish in the 2023 Ballon d’Or rankings came on the back of a prolific 2023, in which he was crowned African Player of the Year, an honour Mikel also never won during his own decorated career.

Meanwhile, Osimhen was briefly caught up in an unexpected tax issue in Turkey after receiving a formal legal warning over unpaid income tax, with Galatasaray stepping in to settle the outstanding bill.

According to Turkish newspaper Milliyet, a local bank issued an ihtarname — a formal legal warning — to the Super Eagles striker after taxes linked to his earnings had not been paid.

However, Osimhen was reportedly not personally responsible for settling the tax under the terms of his contract.

After receiving the notice, the Nigerian informed Galatasaray’s management, with the Turkish champions immediately paying the outstanding amount and bringing the matter to an end before it could escalate into a bigger legal dispute.

The incident also highlighted a clause in Galatasaray’s contracts with some of their highest-paid players, with the club responsible for handling income tax payments on behalf of stars such as Osimhen.

The tax issue comes amid recent reports of financial concerns at the Turkish champions, including claims that some players had experienced delays in receiving their salaries.

Galatasaray have strongly denied those reports, insisting that no player had received a bounced cheque and that the tax matter was the result of an administrative delay rather than a failure to honour its contractual obligations.