John Mikel Obi is out of the World Cup. Brown Ideye has been called up to replace him.
Mikel quit the Nigerian World Cup team so he would not aggravate his knee injury. The Chelsea midfielder told team officials that ‘he did not want to put his career at risk as his knee injury 'has yet to fully heal after a recent surgery'. Emmanuel Attah, a team official said on Saturday morning.
The 23-year-old is among the final 23-man squad drafted by Nigerian coach Lars Lagerback who had earlier assured that Mikel will play a part of Sunday's warm-up game against North Korea.
Mikel is the latest Chelsea player to experience a last minute miss out of the World Cup with Michael Ballack, Michael Essien and Didier Drogba who is currently in pain after an elbow fracture. The Ivory Coast star may yet appear in the World Cup if an emergency surgery goes well.
Also England has lost Rio Ferdinand and Beckham with Theo Walcott's shoulder injury still lingering he is not even in the British Squad .
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