Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has revealed how he clashed with former team-mate Victor Moses during Nigeria’s triumphant 2013 Africa Cup of Nations campaign in South Africa.
Mikel shared the experience while speaking on his podcast about the recent on-field confrontation between Super Eagles forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman during Nigeria’s 4–0 win over Mozambique in the Round of 16 at the 2025 AFCON.
Recalling the incident, Mikel said tensions flared between him and Moses, who was his roommate during the 2013 tournament, over decision-making on the pitch.
“When we won the AFCON in 2013, Victor Moses was my roommate,” Mikel said. “We know Victor — when he gets the ball, he likes to dribble and create chances, which was fantastic for him.”
He explained that frustration arose when Moses opted to shoot rather than pass to better-placed team-mates.
“A couple of times he did it and squared the ball, but he wanted to shoot. I went to him and said, ‘you have to pass the ball’. He said no, and I told him he had to pass if someone else was in a better position because we had to win. It wasn’t about him,” Mikel recounted.
According to the former Chelsea midfielder, the disagreement continued after the match, affecting their relationship temporarily.
“We had an argument on the pitch. After the game, he was still angry. We went back to the room and didn’t speak to each other for hours. We slept, woke up the next morning and still didn’t say anything,” he said.
However, Mikel noted that both players later put the issue behind them after realising the bigger picture.
“Then we thought about it and realised there were much bigger things at stake. We spoke to each other and we went on to win. These things happen, but you have to deal with them,” he added.Set featured image
Nigeria went on to win the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, defeating Burkina Faso 1–0 in the final, with Sunday Mba scoring the decisive goal.
