Former Super Eagles midfielder John Obi Mikel has tipped the Nigerian national football team to put in a strong performance at the forthcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament which is set to start in a few months. The ex-Chelsea midfielder has revealed that even though he is no longer able to feature for Nigeria after already retiring from playing for the country, he still follows them closely and stated that they have a couple of excellent players in every department of the team.

Nigeria last won the AFCON trophy back in 2013 and Mikel was not only a part of the team that clinched the title, but he was also a very important player for the Super Eagles and carried out a key role in leading the side to victory under the team's former head coach Stephen Keshi. Since retiring from the Nigerian national team, Mikel has continued his club football career at England's Championship side Stoke City. His fine form since signing for the Potters has led to fans asking why he went ahead to quit playing for his country when he still had a lot to offer at the top level.

However, Mikel has said that he has continued to show his support for the Super Eagles and has even tipped them to make a huge statement in the forthcoming edition of the African Cup of Nations tournament.

Speaking on his assessment of the current squad, Mikel said that Nigeria's head coach Gernot Rohr has done nicely well in terms of his choice of player selections and that he hopes those players can show what they are truly capable of because they all have top talents. He however cautioned them to be wary of the other participating countries and mentioned that they would not be there for the fun of it. Hence, the Super Eagles should be ready.