The sad story of how only two Real Madrid players turned up to Michael Essien's 30th birthday party

Michael Essien is about to turn 41 next month but who could forget the sad story of how only two of his Real Madrid teammates turned up to his 30th birthday party.

Back in 2012, Essien linked up with "daddy" Jose Mourinho for a second time when he joined Los Blancos on loan from Chelsea.

During his spell at the Santiago Bernabeu, the Ghanaian international hit a big milestone when he celebrated his 30th birthday.

Essien invited all of his Madrid teammates to attend a party he was hosting. Out of the whole squad, only two players attended.

Ricardo Carvalho and Luka Modric posed for a picture with poor Essien, who just looked happy that somebody had turned up.

Given his bond with Essien, Mourinho was unsurprisingly left angered by the no-shows and had to comfort the midfielder.

In the book 'Jose Mourinho: Up Close and Personal', Rob Beasley revealed: "Mourinho said that Madrid was a political club with warring factions and told me a story about Essien inviting teammates to his 30th birthday but only a few turned up.

"He had to console Essien, saying it was nothing personal and that it didn't mean the players didn't like him but they simply were only concerned with themselves and had better things to do."

Alamy

Madrid finished the 2012/13 season empty-handed, finishing second in La Liga, reaching the Champions League semi-finals as well as being runners-up to rivals Atletico Madrid in the Copa Del Rey.

Bizarrely, there is a song out called 'Michael Essien Birthday Party' that was released last year by Zeppy Zep, Keeko and Taco Hemingway - though we're not quite sure Essien himself will have listened to it.