Nigeria midfielder John Mikel Obi has been ruled out of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with a knee injury.
Mikel joins fellow Chelsea stars Michael Essien and Michael Ballack in missing out through injury, while Didier Drogba is a major doubt.
The 23-year-old underwent minor knee surgery in May and feels he has not recovered sufficiently.
"We have dropped Mikel from the squad after he said he did not want to risk his career," said a Nigeria spokesman.
Nigeria will replace Obi Mikel with the uncapped Brown Ideye, a striker from French club Sochaux. Mikel has been capped 30 times for his country and was the last player to join up with the rest of the squad at their training camp in Essex.
In South Africa, Mikel cut short his workout with the team on two consecutive days. He also missed the team's two build-up games against Saudi Arabia and Colombia.
On Friday he trained with the rest of the squad for the first time since they arrived at their World Cup base in Durban, but later announced he was not fit enough to play in South Africa.
Nigeria have been drawn in Group B alongside two-time world champions Argentina, former European Championship winners Greece and 2002 World Cup semi-finalists South Korea.
They play a final friendly against North Korea in Johannesburg on Sunday before starting their World Cup campaign against Argentina on 12 June.
Posted: at 5-06-2010 03:09 PM (14 years ago) | Newbie
Wetin dey worry this LAST LAGABACKWARD of a Coach sef? I dey Craze? Instead of am to replace the injured Mikel with either of IKE UCHE or ANICHEBE... e go call up uncapped IDEYE?? I tire ooo..
KEVEE№1٭٭ ٭٭KEVEE№1 Forza In†er... io sono in†eris†a ::1908::http://inter.it/ (o_O)
Posted: at 5-06-2010 03:32 PM (14 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Na only Mikel wan play d worldcup? abeg make d worldcup kukuman start jare make we rest cos me don tire to dey gather money for fuel and w8 for d worldcup to start.
They closed the door but that ain't stop me from coming in ;)
Posted: at 5-06-2010 04:51 PM (14 years ago) | Gistmaniac
what are u saying,do u want to tell me that u knows more than the manager or what? infact who is MIKEL,is he better than UCHE? I can't just imagine how some of u reason things,,think twice before giving comment
Posted: at 5-06-2010 05:07 PM (14 years ago) | Newbie
cyril4christ at 5-06-2010 05:28 PM (14 years ago) (m)
it is very painful and sad story to hear that the power house will not be among of the Nigeria team 4 this world cup,well i wish him good luck and quick recovery and i wish rest of team good luck too...........
Posted: at 5-06-2010 05:28 PM (14 years ago) | Gistmaniac
cyril4christ at 5-06-2010 05:32 PM (14 years ago) (m)
Quote from: ewean on 5-06-2010 05:24 PM
mikel obi is not a player
hey shut that ur smelling mouth b4 i send my dug to help u shut it.......can u tell me the meaning of football and what football look like? ur own be make u comment bc u see others re commenting ...........hisssssssssssssss
Posted: at 5-06-2010 05:32 PM (14 years ago) | Gistmaniac
we go miss mikel.dis stupid coach wey cal him self lars lager beer dey crazy,why he no cal anichebe or ikechukwu uche instead he go cal selfish player like ideye.infact i no blame d coach,na NFF i dey blame,cos they go call a choach wey no even qualify his country 4 world cup to coach nigeria,anyway, every knw say we go commot 4 first round.beautiful nonensense.
Posted: at 5-06-2010 05:55 PM (14 years ago) | Upcoming
chei,we go miss mikel.and dis stupid coach wey cal him self lars lager beer dey crazy,why he no cal anichebe or ikechukwu uche instead he go cal selfish player like ideye.infact i no blame d coach,na NFF i dey blame,cos they go call a choach wey no even qualify his country 4 world cup to coach nigeria,anyway, every knw say we go commot 4 first round.beautiful nonensense.
Posted: at 5-06-2010 05:55 PM (14 years ago) | Upcoming
chei,we go miss mikel.and dis stupid coach wey cal him self lars lager beer dey crazy,why he no cal anichebe or ikechukwu uche to replace mikel instead he go cal selfish player like ideye.infact i no blame d coach,na NFF i dey blame,cos they go call a choach wey no even qualify his country 4 world cup to coach nigeria,anyway, every knw say we go commot 4 first round.beautiful nonensense.
Posted: at 5-06-2010 05:56 PM (14 years ago) | Upcoming
cyril4christ at 5-06-2010 05:57 PM (14 years ago) (m)
Quote from: menosmith on 5-06-2010 05:32 PM
IS A PITY THAT WE ARE MISSING AN ENGINE ROOM LIKE MIKEL IN OUR MIDFIELD
my dear u will live long to see ur children children......we all know that it is a big blow 4 us to miss the power house bc we all know what he is capable to do in that midfield.....we real miss him MIKEL...........
Posted: at 5-06-2010 05:57 PM (14 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Miss_precious at 5-06-2010 06:24 PM (14 years ago) (f)
Quote from: aliaaz on 5-06-2010 04:51 PM
Na only Mikel wan play d worldcup? abeg make d worldcup kukuman start jare make we rest cos me don tire to dey gather money for fuel and w8 for d worldcup to start.
lmaoooooo.....make e start make dem lose already...make we all rest
You know you're the best when people you don't know hate you
Posted: at 5-06-2010 06:24 PM (14 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Izevbizua at 5-06-2010 06:30 PM (14 years ago) (m)
EVEN IF WILL HAVE MIKEL....ARE WILL GOING TO WIN D CUP? WEN WILL HAVE TO NOT EVEN WIN NATIONS CUP, NOT TO TALK OF WORLDCUP.....WELL I WISH THEM GOOD LUCK..
Posted: at 5-06-2010 06:30 PM (14 years ago) | Newbie
Izevbizua at 5-06-2010 06:32 PM (14 years ago) (m)
Quote from: Izevbizua on 5-06-2010 06:30 PM
EVEN IF WILL HAVE MIKEL....ARE WILL GOING TO WIN D CUP? WEN WILL HAVE NOT EVEN WIN NATIONS CUP, NOT TO TALK OF WORLDCUP.....WELL I WISH THEM GOOD LUCK..
Posted: at 5-06-2010 06:32 PM (14 years ago) | Newbie
?? 
;)
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