John Obi Mikel Reveals How He Secured Super Eagles’ 2018 World Cup Bonuses

Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has opened up about the lengths he went to ensure players received their bonuses during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, Mikel revealed that he had to escalate the matter all the way to the office of former President Muhammadu Buhari through his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, after months of delays by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

According to Mikel, the team had been owed qualification bonuses for months, despite repeated assurances from NFF officials that the money would be paid once the squad arrived at camp. Frustration grew among the players as delays continued, prompting Mikel to take decisive action.

“Talking about fighting for players’ bonuses, I went above the president of the NFF to get those bonuses, which is what I did a couple of times during the World Cup,” Mikel said.

He recounted that even upon arriving at the camp, the issue remained unresolved.

“We got to camp, and I spoke to the team secretary and the president. I asked, ‘Where is the money?’ Again, they said, ‘Don’t worry, Mikel, we’ll sort it out,’” he recalled.

As days passed, concern among the players intensified, with many fearing they might never receive the bonuses they were promised. At that point, Mikel decided to escalate the matter directly.

“I called him and said, ‘Mr chief of staff, we have a serious issue in the national team. We need this money to settle the players. This is what was promised. 24 hours later, a private plane arrived. The money was delivered to the hotel, hand to hand. Millions of dollars.

“I took the money and handed it to the team secretary and told him to hold it. I said, ‘Make sure this money does not go to the president or anyone else. This money belongs to the players.”