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John Obi Mikel Says Dad Was Kidnapped & Held for Ransom Before World Cup Game

John Obi Mikel Says Dad Was Kidnapped & Held for Ransom Before World Cup Game

John Obi Mikel revealed that he faced Argentina in the 2018 World Cup after finding out his dad was Pa Michael Obi, was kidnapped and held for ransom in Nigeria.

The Perpetrators pretended to be the police and snatched him on his way to a funeral. “I was told they would shoot my dad instantly if I reported to the authorities or told anybody,” Mikel told SunSport. The midfielder had to pay £21,000 for his father’s return.

The 31-year-old soccer player, who broke a bone in his hand during the 2-0 win over Iceland didn’t tell his teammates because he didn’t want to break their focus. “And I did not want to discuss it with the coach because I did not want my issue to become a distraction to the coach or the rest of the team on the day of such an important game,” he continued.

It wasn’t an easy decision, but he decided to “represent [his] country first.”

Nigeria was knocked out of the World Cup on Tuesday after losing to Argentina.

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