Mikel chases Olympic record

Still licking the wounds of not helping Nigeria to qualify for the African Cup of Nations 2017, Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi is nursing the ambition to be one of the three over-aged players that will represent Nigeria at the Rio Olympics.
That is if Coach Samson Siasia gives his nod.
A source close to Mikel disclosed that eight years ago when Siasia handled the team to the Olympics in Beijing, Mikel was omitted for not playing in the final qualifying match, but he is in top form now.
“If he is included in the Rio Olympics squad, he would have taken a step ahead of Lionel Messi of Barcelona and Argentina, who was his contemporary at the then World Youth Championship (WYC) of 2005,” the source said.
“Messi, a global phenomenon, has featured in four major world football tournaments: World Cup (2006, 2010, 2014), Olympics tournament (2008), Under-20 World Cup (2005), Club World Cup (2009, 2011, 2015).
“Should Mikel feature at the Rio Olympics, he will join the likes of Ronaldinho among those to have featured in all the six 11-a-side world football competitions – World Cup (2014), FIFA Confederation Cup (2013), FIFA Club World Cup (2012), Olympics (2016), Under-20 (2005) and Under-17 (2003).