Ex-Chelsea star John Obi Mikel declared Paul Scholes as the best English player – ahead of former team-mates Frank Lampard and John Terry.
The former Nigeria international spent 11 years at the West London club where he won a plethora of trophies including two Premier League trophies, four FA Cup's and one Champions League title. During his tenure at Chelsea, he came up against Manchester United in several finals including the 2008 Champions League finale which Mikel lost on penalties thanks to Edwin Van De Sar saving Nicolas Anelka's spot-kick.
It was obvious one player from the Red Devils had a profound effect on the 36-year-old as during an appearance on Rio Ferdinand's 'Vibe with Five' podcast on Thursday (November 16), he admitted Paul Scholes is the best English player, shunning his long-time team-mates Frank Lampard and John Terry.
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"For me, he's the best English player," he said to ex-England international. "He's absolutely brilliant, the way he played the game, and we all think he's probably the only English midfielder that would get into the Barcelona team back then, he was that good."
Mikel added that the Englishman was somebody you "enjoyed watching" and a player who performed with "swagger". His opinion, while it may not go down with Chelsea fans all too well, were certainly appreciated by Man United fans with one X user writing: "Scholesy… the difference is clear" while a second fan commented: "Another one who says scholes is the best they play against."
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Mikel recently started up The Obi One Podcast, where he opens on his football career which came to an end last year after a short-term stint with Kuwait. The former midfielder revealed how he and fellow Chelsea team-mates would motivate each other when bumping into club rivals on a night out.
Mikel said: "And also, you have to think about going out on a Saturday night, where you see all the players from Manchester United and Liverpool in Mayfair, Arsenal, everybody is there. You don't want to be that guy sitting there and you didn't play.
"What are you doing here? What are you doing on a night out partying? You want to be that guy who played. And you're out, having a good time.
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"That was almost a motivation. That was a motivation. I know it doesn't sound right saying it but that was a motivation. The ego was our motivation."
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