Former Chelsea player, Mikel Obi, has shed light on the reasons his Ghanaian counterpart, Michael Essien, suffered a lot of injuries during his stay at the club.

In an interview, Mikel Obi pointed to an ACL injury—a tear or sprain of the anterior cruciate (KROO-she-ate) ligament (ACL)—one of the strong bands of tissue that help connect your thigh bone (femur) to your shinbone (tibia).

He noted that due to Essien's massive thighs, his knees could not withstand so much movement while on the field, making him prone to injuries.

"I remembered a certain teammate, Michael Essien, who suffered similar thing. He was always injured and it was always ACL. He had them on both news. I think then the doctor said your weight on your thighs, your thighs are heavy to carry… Your knees cannot hold them. If you look at Michael, his thighs are massive. But then when you look at his knees, his knees are that tiny and then it made sense," he said.

Mikel Obi added that "until he started losing the upper body to give his knees the rest, then it started to work much better for him. It is so sad when you see players go through this."

Essien's football journey began in his home country, Ghana, where he played for Liberty Professionals. Essien moved to Europe and started his professional career with SC Bastia in France during the 2000-2001 season. His performances quickly attracted attention.

In 2003, Essien joined Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon) in Ligue 1. He played a key role in Lyon's dominance in French football, winning multiple league titles.

In 2005, Essien made a high-profile move to Chelsea FC in the English Premier League for a then-club record fee.

He became a vital part of Chelsea's midfield, known for his athleticism, versatility, and powerful playing style.

Essien won multiple domestic and international titles during his time with Chelsea, including the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.

Essien had a loan spell with Real Madrid during the 2012-2013 season, where he reunited with his former Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho.

After leaving Chelsea, Essien joined AC Milan in Serie A for the 2014-2015 season. He had brief stints with Panathinaikos in Greece and Indonesian club Persib Bandung before retiring from professional football.

Essien represented the Ghana national team, earning caps in multiple Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and FIFA World Cup tournaments. He played a crucial role in Ghana's run to the 2010 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals.

After retiring from professional football, Essien has been involved in various activities, including coaching and ambassadorial roles.

Michael Essien is widely regarded as one of Ghana's greatest football exports and had a successful career at top clubs in Europe.