Mikel: I Deserved The 2013 Africa Player of the Year Award Not Yaya

Mikel: I Deserved The 2013 Africa Player of the Year Award Not Yaya

Alfred Kadiri

Former Super captain John Obi-Mikel has opened a new debate regarding the Africa Player of the Year award after has claimed that he was 'criminally robbed' of the 2013 edition after a successful campaign for both club and country, reports BSNSports.com.ng.

Despite winning the UEFA Champions League in 2012, and the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and Europa League titles to his laurels, the Nigerian was beaten to the award by Ivory Coast and Manchester City legend, Yaya Toure.

Yaya win it in the 3rd consecutive year, as the Chelsea legend further claimed that he got a call from who he didn't mention before the ceremony informing him he had won the award, but that was not how it all panned out in Lagos, Nigeria venue of the awards. 

 â€œI got robbed of the African Footballer of The Year Award. Before I went, I was told I won it," he told Dubai Eye Radio.

 â€œI was at the airport flying to Nigeria because the ceremony was in Nigeria, and Man City was playing, and Yaya Toure scored two goals." 

An upset Mikel said there was no way he shouldn't have won the award, due to his numerous successes in Africa and Europe in the year preceding. 

“I knew I had won it. It doesn’t matter how many goals he scored. I was in my prime, playing a lot of games. You could have seen the ceremony. Before it was even announced, everybody left the stage, people left.”

Mikel enjoyed a stellar career with Chelsea and Nigeria but spent the twilight of his career playing for Trabzonspor, Stoke City and Kuwait SC.