Former Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi has strongly defended José Mourinho against allegations of racism, describing the claims as ‘a joke and ‘baseless’.
Reacting to the controversy surrounding the Portuguese coach in his Obi One Podcast on Wednesday, Mikel, who played under Mourinho at Chelsea, dismissed the accusations, insisting that Mourinho is not a racist.
‘For them to label our African dad (Jose Mourinho) a racist, for me, that’s a f** joke. That’s a f** joke’, Mikel said in a video statement.
He further described Mourinho as a man who treats everyone equally and questioned the motivation behind the allegations.
‘This is politics in football in Turkey. Jose Mourinho is somebody that loves everybody. A beautiful, beautiful human being you can ever meet. The straightest, the straightforward human being you can ever meet in your life. Says it as it is’.
‘Didier Drogba Michael Essien. Loved us as his own children. So for me, this comment, this situation, I don’t even want to get into it, because it’s baseless’, he said.
Mikel’s comments come as the debate over Mourinho’s alleged remarks continues to spark reactions, particularly among Turkish football fans.
Similarly, former Ivorian striker Didier Drogba also threw his support behind Mourinho, dismissing the racism claims as baseless.
Drogba, who enjoyed a successful stint under Mourinho at Chelsea, took to X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday to defend his former coach, urging Galatasaray fans to focus on supporting their team instead.
‘Dear @GalatasaraySK, you know how proud I was to wear the yellow and red jersey and my love for the most decorated club in Turkey!!’, Drogba wrote.
He further emphasised his long-standing relationship with Mourinho, stating that the coach’s history proves he is not racist.
‘Trust me when I tell you I have known José for 25 years, and he is not a racist. History (past and recent) is there to prove it. Let’s focus on our games, support our brilliant Lions, and let’s win the league to get close to our five stars. How can my “Dad” be a racist’.
Mourinho, who recently took charge of Fenerbahçe, has yet to issue an official statement regarding the allegations. However, support from his former players continues to mount as the controversy unfolds.
