Wilfred Ndidi, the Super Eagles midfielder and Leicester City star, recently opened up about a deeply emotional football moment that moved him to tears.
Surprisingly, this memorable event wasn’t from his own career but from the 2012 UEFA Champions League final, where Chelsea claimed their first-ever European title, Footballrover reports.
In an interview with Football Fans Tribe, Ndidi shared how Chelsea’s victory over Bayern Munich left a lasting impression on him.
The historic match featured legendary players like Didier Drogba, Petr Čech, Frank Lampard, David Luiz, Juan Mata, and Nigeria’s own John Obi Mikel, a player Ndidi admired greatly while growing up.
The final, played at Bayern’s home ground, the Allianz Arena, seemed destined for heartbreak for Chelsea fans when Thomas Müller gave the German giants the lead with less than 10 minutes remaining.
However, in dramatic fashion, Didier Drogba equalised with a header from a corner just minutes before the end of regular time.
The game ultimately went to penalties, where Drogba, once again the hero, scored the decisive spot-kick to secure Chelsea’s 4-3 win on penalties.
Recalling the match, Ndidi admitted,
“I was crying because I was a big fan of Mikel Obi growing up.”
Mikel played a crucial role in Chelsea’s midfield that night, helping to keep Bayern Munich at bay as Chelsea defied the odds to lift the coveted trophy.
🇳🇬 😅 just wait for Wilfred Ndidi & Olisa Ndah reaction to hearing the name Victor Boniface…
Watch the FULL INTERVIEW HERE 👇🏽 🤣https://t.co/5bmSUxb4vw pic.twitter.com/OTD0sSG4K3
— Football Fans Tribe 🇳🇬 ⚽ (@FansTribeHQ) September 6, 2024
Although Chelsea has since gone on to win another Champions League title in 2021, Ndidi’s emotional connection to the 2012 final remains.
That first triumph, under then-manager Roberto Di Matteo, was a moment of inspiration for many fans worldwide, especially for a young Ndidi who saw in Mikel Obi a role model and fellow Nigerian excelling on the biggest stage.
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