Super Eagles Captain and Chelsea Midfielder, Mikel Obi has revealed that he spent up to £30,000 (N12,535,348) to see the bronze-winning Dream Team VI succeed at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
He made the revelation at the weekend while speaking with Goal.com. He said he made the sacrifice alongside coach Samson Siasia in order to encourage the team and curb frustration that was already setting in.
Mikel’s revelation follows Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung’s claim that the 29-year-old did not give the team any money.
Mikel Obi said,”I think if we talk about the money that I put into the team I think it was more than [£30,000],” Mikel told Goal. “But we just had to do it.
“I said to myself, ‘I won’t let this happen. If I can help, I’ll try to help’. Sometimes there was no food, sometimes there was no pitch to train on, there was no bus to go to the training ground. So all of this was what me and the coach had to figure out, and get money together.
“I came to the camp. I sat down with the boys in Atlanta and I could see the frustration, the pain and the anger. Their aim was to play in the Olympics, their goal was to play in the Olympics. And for me being there and seeing what they are going through, they are young boys, they want to start their career and someone in the ministry is trying to crush that dream,” he said.
