Mikel Obi: Chelsea Legend Names Favourite Team to Win AFCON 2023

• John Mikel Obi has named his favourites to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
• The Chelsea legend was part of the Nigeria squad that won the AFCON in 2013
• AFCON 2023 will be held in Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11, 2024

Super Eagles legend John Mikel Obi has disclosed the favourite team to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be held in Ivory Coast next year.

The former Chelsea midfielder won the competition in 2013 and is anticipating how the 34th edition will pan out in Ivory Coast.

According to the latest FIFA World rankings, the top 15 national teams in Africa will participate in the competition, which means it would be a tough contest for all the countries that will feature in the tournament.

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Football

In a recent interview with CAFOnline, Chelsea legend Mikel Obi named Nigeria the favourites to win the 2023 AFCON.

The former Stoke City midfielder admitted that the Super Eagles always go into every edition of Africa's biggest football competition as one of the favourites.

"We (Nigeria) are always favourites; this is every time we go into the tournament, and it is no different this time," he said.

"Everyone knows that we are one of the favourites – not the massive favourite, but definitely one of the favourites."

The former Nigerian international believes the Super Eagles should be able to win the competition this time like they did in 2013, as the country need to get their football back on track.

"To be able to do it again will be a massive achievement for us, which I think the country needs right now as well," he added.

"We need to get our football back where it should be, and by winning this tournament, it will take it back to where it should be."

Nigeria’s Super Eagles earn high praise from Ivory Coast legend ahead of AFCON clash

Football

Mikel also discusses the possibility of the new Super Eagles squad drawing inspiration from the generation that lifted the trophy in 2013.

"Football has changed dramatically, and I think this group of players are a good young team and play a different brand of football than we did, so let us hope we can see a good performance from the Nigerian team," he concluded.

Nigeria legend Adepoju names AFCON favourites

Sports Brief previously reported that three African powerhouses have been tipped by Super Eagles legend Mutiu Adepoju as the favourites to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to kick off in Ivory Coast next year.

According to Punch, the former Nigerian international Mutiu Adepoju, who won the tournament with Nigeria in 1994, believes the AFCON 2023 title will come down to one of three countries.