John Terry and John Obi Mikel during Chelsea training under Roman Abramovich era
Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has opened up about one of the more charming behind-the-scenes stories from his time at Chelsea — and it perfectly sums up the generosity of former club owner Roman Abramovich.
Speaking on his podcast, where he hosted Chelsea legend John Terry as a guest, Mikel recalled moments that highlighted Abramovich’s kindness and personal connection with his players. In a playful exchange, Mikel joked that Terry once got to enjoy the Russian billionaire’s personal yacht for a family holiday — and Terry confirmed it was true.
“Yeah, he let me and Lamps [Frank Lampard] take the yacht on holiday, but it was only one time,” Terry admitted with a laugh.
Terry, who made 717 appearances for Chelsea and lifted 15 major trophies including five Premier League titles and the 2012 UEFA Champions League, was quick to praise Abramovich’s influence on and off the pitch.
“Abramovich was an amazing person… one of the nicest people you would ever meet,” Terry said.
He went on to describe how Abramovich’s arrival completely transformed the club, from facilities to player welfare:
“When he walked into Harlington [Chelsea’s old training ground], he said, ‘No, we are not training here.’ Then he bought Cobham and turned it into what it is today.”
“He really did everything possible to give us the best platform to succeed — and he was just as invested in the players as he was in the fans.”
Terry also revealed that Abramovich would often pay for fan travel to away games, showing how deeply he cared for the Chelsea community.
Roman Abramovich’s 19-year ownership of Chelsea was marked not just by trophies and global dominance, but by countless stories of his quiet generosity and deep loyalty to the players who served the club.
For Mikel and Terry, those memories go beyond silverware — they reflect a human side to a billionaire owner who treated his players like family.
“He wasn’t just a boss,” Mikel said. “He was someone who genuinely wanted us to be happy and successful.”
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