'Not a goodbye...': Chelsea legend Mikel John Obi retires from professional football at 35

After an outstanding senior career that spanned almost two decades, legendary Chelsea midfielder Mikel John Obi took to social media to announce his retirement from professional football on September 27. Mikel, who represented the Blues for 11 long years from 2006 to 2017, wrote in his retirement post that all good things must come to an end.

Mikel John Obi announces retirement

Taking to his official Instagram handle, former Chelsea defensive midfielder Mikel John Obi wrote,

"There is a saying that 'all good things must come to an end', and for my professional football career, that day is today.

I look back at the past 20 years of my career, and I must say that I am very satisfied with all that I was able to achieve and more importantly the human it has helped shape.

All of this would not have been possible without the unwavering support of my family, managers, clubs, coaches, teammates and most importantly my ever-loyal fans. You supported me through my highs and lows, even on days that I did not live up to your expectations. I say a big thank you.

I will also like to encourage everyone who I may have inspired one way or the other in the course of my career to never give up on their dreams, for every time you think about quitting, remind yourself why you started.

This is not goodbye, it’s the start of another journey, another chapter of my life. I look forward to what the future holds and I hope you will walk with me. Thank you."

Mikel John Obi's career acheivements at Chelsea

Other than winning a bronze medal with Nigeria at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, most of Mikel John Obi's success came while playing for Chelsea from 2006 to 2017. In this time, he won two Premier Leagues, three FA Cups, and one UEFA Champions League title, among other trophies.