Jay-Jay Okocha

The Nigerian dribbling wizard who lit up Europe and Africa.

Augustine Azuka "Jay-Jay" Okocha (born 14 August 1973) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He had 73 caps for the Nigeria national team between 1993 and 2006, scoring 14 goals, and was a member of three FIFA World Cup squads. He is regarded as one of the greatest African footballers of all time and one of the most influential dribblers in world football history.

Quick Facts

Full name: Augustine Azuka Okocha
Born: 14 August 1973
Birthplace: Enugu, Nigeria
Height: 1.75 m / 5 ft 9 in
Position: Attacking midfielder
Total caps: 454
Total goals: 87

Lore & Background

Okocha was born in Enugu, Enugu State. The name "Jay-Jay" was passed down from his elder brother James. He began playing football on the streets. In 1990, he joined Enugu Rangers. Later that year, he went on holiday to West Germany and joined Borussia Neunkirchen after impressing at training. He later played for 1. FC Saarbrücken, Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahçe, Paris Saint-Germain, Bolton Wanderers, Hull City, and Durgapur Vox Champions. He acquired Turkish citizenship during his time at Fenerbahçe and chose the name Muhammed Yavuz. He served as a mentor to young Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho during his time at PSG.

Reader's Guide

Okocha played as an attacking midfielder. He was known for his dribbling, free kicks, and creativity. At PSG, he played 84 matches and scored 12 goals. In the 2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup, he scored 5 goals and helped PSG become joint champions along with Aston Villa and ES Troyes AC. He later captained Bolton Wanderers and led them to the 2004 Football League Cup final. He also captained Nigeria in multiple Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.

Did You Know?

Okocha set a World Cup record for most dribbles completed during a single match (15) in 1994 against Italy.
He was voted the best player to have ever played for Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok/Macron Stadium in 2017.
His goal against Karlsruher SC, dribbling past several players and slotting past Oliver Kahn, was voted Goal of the Year by viewers of Sportschau in 1993.
Okocha was a member of Nigeria's Olympic gold-winning side at the 1996 Atlanta Games.