Former Super Eagles Captain Austin Jay Jay Okocha need no introduction as far as football is concerned. He recently appeared on Mikel Obi’s Obi One Podcast where shared some of his interesting career stories in one of the most interesting episodes of the podcast so far. Towards the end of the interview, Mikel asked Okocha who he thinks is a better footballer between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Okocha went for Messi saying that the latter was born to play football and could get sick if he doesn’t play football. He however acknowledged that Ronaldo is a special player and a prolific goal scorer who is capable of scoring one million goals. Okocha said that some players are terrific goal scorers and mentioned Erling Haaland as one of them.

Okocha’s personal view of choosing Messi drew the irk of Ronaldo’s fans especially those from Nigeria. They desended on Okocha on social media raining all manner of abuses on him and asking what he achieved in his football career to be “disrespecting” Cristiano Ronaldo. Most of these fans did not see a prime Okocha playing football. Indeed Okocha has some descend records as a footballer and we are going to discuss them here.

Okocha first played for Nigeria in January/February 1993 during the African Youth Championship in Mauritius. Although the Flying Eagles failed to qualify for the U-21 World Cup having not progressed to the final of that Mauritius tourney, Okocha left no one in doubt about his footballing skills. Most commentators pronounced him as a player for the future and indeed a Super Eagles material.

When the Super Eagles regrouped May 1993 for a crucial world cup qualifier against Cote d’Ivoire in Abidjan, not many were surprised that Okocha was invited. The little surprise however was that in the star studded Super Eagles squad, debutant Okocha made the starting line-up in Abidjan, particularly from the right wing where Finidi George’s presence had become regular. Okocha played for about 60 minutes in that game before Coach Clemens Westerhof decided to defend Nigeria’s one goal lead and withdrew Okocha for an extra defender in the person of Isaac Semitoje. The hosts later won 2:1.

Okocha would go on to have his second straight start for the Super Eagles when Algeria came visiting for a world cup qualifier in July. This time Okocha started from his favourite midfield position. The young Okocha bossed the midfield against experienced Algerian players, score a spectacular free kick for his first international goal, and instantly became the toast of Nigerian fans with his deft touches. Nigeria won 4:1.

Okocha won 1994 AFCON with Super Eagles and made the player of the tournament in his debut outing. After the final game against Zambia, Coach Westerhof admitted to the press that Nigeria’s midfield collapsed after he substituted Okocha with Nduka Ugbade in trying to defend. This 1994 AFCON announced Okocha to Africa and the world.

At the 2004 AFCON, Okocha became one of the only seven players to have simultaneously won both the player of the tournament and highest goal scorer awards in AFCON history. Okocha appeared in five AFCON tournaments and made the team of the tournament in three of them (1994, 2000 and 2004). He also has seven AFCON goals to his name. Okocha’s cabinet can boast of several AFCON medals – one gold, one silver and three bronze medals. Nigeria got to the semi-finals in all AFCON tournaments they went with Okocha. By all standards, Okocha is an AFCON legend.

In 1993 while playing for Eintracht Frankfurt, Okocha scored a spectacular goal against Karlsruher, mesmerizing goalkeeper Oliver Kahn and many of his defenders in the process. The goal won the Goal of the Month and 1993 Goal of the Year in Germany. It goal was nominated years after for the Goal of the Century in Germany. It is also routinely ranked as Bundesliga’s All-Time Greatest Goal by many media outlets.

Okocha made the Super Eagles squad to Nigeria’s debut world cup appearance in 1994. He missed the first game against Bulgaria due to a reported injury and fitness concerns. He made substitute appearances in the next games against Argentina and Greece. Okocha recovered fully and started the knock-out game against Italy. Although Nigeria narrowly lost that game mostly due to inexperience in managing a game at a big stage, Okocha imposed himself in a midfield that had Italy greats like Albetini, Berti and Donadoni. During this match, Okocha set a world cup record of Most Successful Dribbles in a Single World Cup Match (15 Successful Dribbles) which still stands till today.

In 1995, Okocha become one of the very first three Nigerians to receive Ballon d’or nomination. Okocha received Ballon d’or nomination for the second consecutive time in 1996. Same 1996, Okocha was part of Nigeria’s U-23 team (Dream Team) that took the world by storm and won the 1996 Olympic gold medal, beating Brazil and Argentina in the process. He scored two goal in that tournament and was a visible force in Nigeria’s midfield.

Okocha made his second world cup appearance in 1998. At the end of that world cup, he became the first ever (and the only) Nigerian to be named in a World Cup All Stars team. What followed suit was a lucrative 14 million pounds move to PSG from Fenerbahce, making him the most expensive African player at that time. During that world cup, Nigeria famously defeated a star studded Spain team 3:2. The FIFA player of the Match did not exist at that time but FIFA later adjudged Okocha as the best player of that match and sent him a retroactive Superior Player of the Match award in 2026 (see picture above).

Okocha won two consecutive BBC African Footballer of the Year in 2003 and 2004 (the first player to win it back to back). Many people have wondered why Okocha never won the CAF African Footballer of the Year. Some critics use this against him. Well, he was named in top three in 1998, 2003 and 2004. You just wonder why they single out Okocha. In 1998, he got 74 votes, narrowly losing by 2 votes to the eventual winner Mustapha Hadji who got 76 votes. This was very controversial with many querying why someone who scored 14 goals in 29 league appearances (as a midfielder), made world cup All Stars team and became most expensive African player failed to win the player of the year.

In 2004 when the great Pele compiled The FIFA 100, a list of 125 greatest living footballers to celebrate FIFA’s 100 years anniversary, Okocha was the only Nigeria who made the list. To further buttress this privilege, Okocha was one of the only five Africans that made this list.

When Nigeria hosted Brazil to a friendly game in Abuja in 2003, Okocha played so well that after the game, the great Mario Zagallo who came with the Brazilian contingent went to the Brazil’s bench, pick up Brazil’s number 10 jersey and walked into the pitch to swap jersey with Okocha. Zagallo will later tell the press that Okocha deserved to be playing in Brazil’s number 10 jersey.

When Okocha filed out with Super Eagles across Africa, referees and players will be all over him for photographs on the pitch. Outside the pitch, fans will besiege him. Some Nigerian players have said in various interview that when Okocha leads them out to the pitch, they go in with so much confidence knowing that he is on their side.

Great footballers rate Okocha high. Many players like Roberto Carlos, Mikel Arteta, Ronaldinho, Mesut Ozil, Samuel Eto’o, Alan Shearer, El Hadji Diouf,, Theirry Henry, Peter Schmeichel, Oliver Kahn, Clarence Seedorf, Mario Gomez, Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure, Ian Wright, Mario Basler, Gary Lineker, Kevin Davies, Asamoah Gyan, Henrik Larsson, Zinedine Zidane, Benni McCarthy, Rio Ferdinand, David de Gea, Ray Parlour, John Barnes, and Paul Pogba have at various interviews spoken so glowingly about Okocha and what Jay Jay brought to the football pitch. So many Nigerian footballers have also praised Okocha for his impact in the game.

Critics would argue that Okocha did not have club side trophies and therefore did not have a glorious career. Players like Okocha are not measured only by stats. Okocha brought football for what it is to the fans – entertainment and memories. He won the Trophee des Champions and the UEFA Intertoto Cup with PSG. He won the Basbakanlik Kupasi with Fenerbahce. He came second in the French and Turkish leagues with PSG and Fenerbahce respectively. He also narrowly missed the English League Cup after leading Bolton to the final for the second time in their entire history.

When one visits the teams Okocha played for and his portraits will welcome you, including the train stations in Frankfurt. He does a lot of PR jobs for most of his former teams. There are a few exhibition games concerning former footballers all over the world that Okocha will not be invited. He has remained a great football ambassador for Nigeria and Africa. Okocha deserves huge respect and not insults from people who don’t know any better.