This unassuming young Nigerian goes by Austin Azuka Okocha, popularly known as
Jay-Jay Okocha is so good he is named twice. However, to fully understand this man, we need to go back decades earlier to his formative years growing up in Nigeria. We will be narrating his story chronologically to get a better glimpse of his rise to success.
Before The Man: Jay-Jay Okocha
1973-1990
And he’s got it! This street football leads him to develop a flashy, dribble-heavy style of play that his South American protege, Ronaldinho, adopts. Jay-Jay starts playing for Enugu Rangers (a Nigerian premiership team) at just the age of 17. As an attacking midfielder, Jay-Jay dazzles crowds with his dribbling, field vision, and shot-taking abilities.
Then the big break-it comes when he travels to then-West Germany to visit a friend playing in the third division league. As fate would have it, when Jay-Jay accompanies his friend to training, he gets to try out, and the young Jay-Jay dazzles his coach and soon-to-be teammates and joins the third division.
1992–1996
Jay-Jay’s career in Eintracht Frankfurt is arguably his most distinguished club career. This top-flight premiership team puts him on the stage where he displays his magical dribbling feats. Each time he steps into the stadium, the German crowd roars and screams because he demolishes one defender after the other. He even embarrasses the great Oliver Kahn! His partnership with teammates, Ghanaian striker Tony Yeboah and Thomas Doll, is a lethal combo.
1996–1998
Be it to earn more or improve his career, Jay Jay moves to the Turkish side, Fenerbahce, where he is most prolific in his career. He nets 34 goals in 62 appearances for the team. His performance earns him Turkish citizenship and the Turkish name ‘Mohammed Yavuz’.
1998–2002
After bouncing from a series of clubs, Jay-Jay landed in Paris Saint-Germain in 1998. PSG purchases him for £14 million, making him the most expensive African signing. While in PSG, Jay-Jay mentors a young Ronaldinho, who later refines and popularizes his flashy dribbling style.
2002–2006
After his stint at PSG, Jay-Jay moves to Bolton Wanderers, where he becomes a club legend. He scores a vital goal against West Ham which is ‘the Goal Of The Season’ in the premier league. His exploits lead him to captain the team to their first cup final in nine years. The fans love him so much that they coined the phrase ‘Jay-Jay; so good they named him twice.’
On the international stage, his football prowess remains unmatched, being part of the strong 1996 Super Eagles team that won gold at the Olympics in Atlanta. He and legends like Daniel Amokachi, Sunday Oliseh, Kanu Nwankwo, and Taribo West completely dominate the event. They beat star-studded Argentina, 3-2, and indomitable Brazil, 4-3, with Okocha integral to the teams’ sensational performance. Jay-Jay also led the Super Eagles to the 1994 AFCON (African Cup Of Nations) with his free-kick goal against Algeria in the Super Eagles’ 4-1 win.
2006-2008
After his time at PSG, he played one year in Qatar, after which he moved to Hull City via free agency. He helps the team get to the top-flight English premiership in Hull City. However, he is older, slower, injury-prone, and inconsistent at this point in his career. After a year with the Hull City side, he hangs his boots; at a decent career run of 89 goals for the club and 14 for the country.
Jay-Jay Okocha’s Legacy
A partner with a multimillion naira conglomerate, Betking Jay-Jay is its brand ambassador. He has an estimated net worth of about $15 million with career earnings and endorsement deals. Talk about success!
Jay-Jay Okocha has inspired and continues to inspire millions of kids on the continent and worldwide. His playing style has had a significant impact on aspiring footballers. While critics and ‘football purists’ decry his style as ‘undisciplined’ and ‘inconsistent’, many game fans were endeared to him precisely because of those bags of tricks he displayed on the pitch. When racism and prejudice gripped football, Jay-Jay smashed through those barriers to enchant millions of people worldwide.
While Jay Jay Okocha never won the coveted Ballon D’or or even the African Best Player award, fans worldwide still rank him among the absolute best Africans to ever lace up. The great Pele ranked him in his top 125 football players of all-time. He remains a legend, and his contributions to African football history will be forever etched in our hearts.
