"When you come from Africa - and this is something I don't think we speak a lot about - when you make money, it is not your money. You have all these relatives, cousins, whatever. Your sisters, they go off and get married to some guy. He just wants to get married into John Obi Mikel's family because then [he thinks] 'my life is sorted'. You start looking after this guy and you send money to your sister and the money goes to him and he does whatever he does with it."
"This is the thing nobody knows about - your money is not your money"
John Obi Mikel, a former midfielder who spent 11 years at Chelsea and earned approximately £70,000-£75,000 per week, revealed the hidden financial pressures faced by African footballers. Despite substantial wages, Mikel claims he never received all his earnings due to cultural expectations and family obligations. African players face an undiscussed form of financial burden where relatives, including distant family members and in-laws, expect financial support. This creates a situation where earned money is effectively redistributed to extended family members back home, reducing the player's actual disposable income. Mikel emphasized this rarely-discussed aspect of professional football for African athletes.
Read at SPORTbible
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