Mikel Obi Claims Conte Ended Chelsea Career Over Olympics

Mikel Obi revealed that his career at Chelsea was effectively ended by former manager Antonio Conte's response to his call-up for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Obi was part of Nigeria's provisional 35-man squad for the tournament and later captained the team, leading them to a bronze medal after a 3-2 victory against Honduras in Belo Horizonte.

During a podcast, Obi explained that the fallout with Conte began when Victor Moses was invited to join Nigeria's Olympic squad. Conte had warned Obi about the consequences of accepting the Olympic call, which became a reality upon his return to Brazil, where he found himself training away from the first team.

Despite the challenges, Obi insisted he has no regrets about choosing to represent Nigeria, stating that winning the Olympic medal remains one of the proudest moments of his career.