Many Chelsea fans have disagreed with John Obi Mikel’s claims that he and Didier Drogba were primarily responsible for Chelsea’s popularity in Africa and Nigeria.
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In a recent podcast, Mikel stated that Chelsea gained support in Africa due to him and Drogba, and that the club became popular in Nigeria specifically because of his influence, which later extended to Victor Moses.
However, numerous Chelsea supporters on X have disputed these assertions, arguing that the popularity of Nigerian left-back Celestine Babayaro was a significant factor in Chelsea’s growing fanbase in Nigeria.
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Babayaro joined Chelsea in 1997 and played for the club until 2005, establishing himself as a fan favorite and helping to build the club’s reputation in Nigeria during his time there.
While Mikel and Drogba undoubtedly had a major impact on Chelsea’s success and popularity, fans believe that Babayaro’s presence in the team before them also contributed to the club’s growing support in Nigeria.
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