John Obi Mikel, a former midfielder for Chelsea and Nigeria, has talked about the money problems African stars encounter when they are able to get their families out of poverty. He stated this during a YouTube discussion on Rio Ferdinard Presents FIVE.
Mikel described a situation in which African players become responsible for the finances of their relatives, even if they live far away. Mikel says that players often give different family members parts of their salaries, which makes these ones entitled to their act and makes it look like he is less than they are.
“In Africa, when you make money, it is not your money,” Mikel said. “The money you have is not yours. You get paid, but soon enough, you’ll make less than they do. You owe yourself much more than you owe anybody.
The 36-year-old player stressed how important it was to deal with this problem, especially for young African football players just starting out. Mikel warned about the emotional damage that could happen if players turned down cash help, saying they could get criticized and be called “bad guys.”
After talking about his own experience, He was asked when the moment he knew it had to stop, he stated that he stopped it about five years ago. “No more, I’ve been doing this since I started playing football,” He said. “You become the bad guy, they stop checking up on you, no more phone calls, that’s how it is, you have to be man enough.”
The former playmaker talked about how players can be emotionally manipulated, including being threatened with going public if they don’t get the money requested. Mikel was worried that people weren’t talking directly about these problems because they feared what their family members would do.
Coupled with other things that caused a mental breakdown. Mikel also talked about how affected he was when his father was kidnapped, comparing it to what Liverpool forward Luis Diaz went through recently.
The former Chelsea player urged football clubs, organizations, and governing bodies to put players’ mental health and general well-being first during tough times. During tough times, Mikel told players and their families to get help from professionals.
In the fight for players who go through mental breakdown, Mikel has started a podcast called “The Obi One Podcast,” where he talks about different parts of football and interacts with other professionals. Mikel also supports stars like Victor Osimhen and tells him to put his mental health first as he moves through his career.
Mikel’s words gave us a glimpse into the problems that African footballers face that aren’t always talked about. They have started a larger conversation about the mental and financial parts of their careers.
Comments were seen on X, formerly called Twitter. While some agreed to the issue of black tax. A situation when someone in the family finally gets a breakthrough. In the event, families begin to manipulate and also spend extravagantly. Others said he earned too much at the time during his career, and that he should spend on his family and not see it as a burden.
All things considered, it is recommended that entrepreneurs and careerists strive to be as accountable as healthily as feasible. Budget your money, know who you can contribute to without worrying if they return the favor, and keep track of your expenses. It’s best to keep out of situations that could jeopardize your mental health while still excelling at what you do.