Jay-Jay Okocha facts for kids
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Okocha playing in a 2017 charity match
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 14 August 1973 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.75 m | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Attacking midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Enugu Rangers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1992 | Borussia Neunkirchen | 35 | (7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1996 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 90 | (18) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1998 | Fenerbahçe | 62 | (30) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2002 | Paris Saint-Germain | 84 | (12) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2006 | Bolton Wanderers | 124 | (14) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Qatar SC | 41 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Hull City | 18 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Durgapur Vox Champions | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 454 | (89) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–2006 | Nigeria | 73 | (14) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Augustine Azuka "Jay-Jay" Okocha (born 14 August 1973) is a famous Nigerian former footballer. He played as an attacking midfielder, a player who helps both attack and defend. Many people think he is one of the greatest football players from Africa.
Jay-Jay Okocha played for the Nigerian national team from 1993 to 2006. He played in 73 games and scored 14 goals. He was also part of three FIFA World Cup teams. He played for many different clubs in countries like Germany, Turkey, France, and England before he retired in 2008.
Contents
Jay-Jay Okocha's Football Journey
Jay-Jay Okocha was born in Enugu, Nigeria. The nickname "Jay-Jay" was first used for his older brother, James. Then his other older brother, Emmanuel, was called Emma Jay-Jay. But the name stuck with Augustine instead!
Like many football stars, he started playing on the streets. He often used anything round he could find as a ball. He once said it was "amazing" when they got a real ball.
Early Club Career in Germany
In 1990, Okocha joined Enugu Rangers in Nigeria. He showed off many amazing skills there. Later that year, he visited West Germany, which had just won the 1990 FIFA World Cup. His friend, Binebi Numa, played for Borussia Neunkirchen in Germany's third division.
One day, Okocha went to training with Numa and asked to join in. The coach was so impressed that he offered Okocha a contract! A year later, he moved to 1. FC Saarbrücken. After only a few months, he joined Eintracht Frankfurt in the top German league, the Bundesliga.
Shining at Eintracht Frankfurt
Okocha joined Eintracht Frankfurt in December 1991. He played alongside famous players like Tony Yeboah. One of his most famous moments was a goal against Karlsruher SC. He dribbled past players, even going past some twice, before scoring past the goalkeeper Oliver Kahn. This goal was voted "Goal of the Year" in Germany for 1993.
In 1995, Okocha and some teammates had disagreements with their manager. This led to them leaving the club. Okocha stayed until the end of the season. After Eintracht Frankfurt was moved to a lower league, he signed with Fenerbahçe in Turkey. He scored 18 goals in 90 games in the Bundesliga.
Becoming a Star in Turkey and France
Okocha joined the Turkish club Fenerbahçe for about £1 million. In his two years there, he scored 30 goals in 62 games. Many of his goals came from amazing free kicks, which became his special move. While playing in Turkey, Okocha also became a Turkish citizen and chose the name Muhammed Yavuz.
In 1998, the French team Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) paid about £14 million to sign Okocha. This made him the most expensive African player at that time. He played 84 games for PSG and scored 12 goals. During his time in Paris, he also helped guide a young Brazilian player who would later become a superstar, Ronaldinho.
In 2001, Okocha scored 5 goals in the 2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup. He helped PSG become joint champions in that competition.
Leading Bolton Wanderers
On 18 June 2002, Okocha joined Bolton Wanderers in England for free. Even though he had some injuries, he quickly became a favorite with the Bolton fans. They even made shirts that said, "Jay-Jay – so good they named him twice!"
He helped the team avoid being moved to a lower league by scoring seven goals. One of these goals was voted the team's "Goal of the Season." The next season, Okocha became the team captain. He led Bolton to the 2004 Football League Cup final, their first cup final in nine years. They finished second to Middlesbrough.
In 2006, Okocha left Bolton to play in Qatar. Later, in 2017, fans voted Okocha the best player to have ever played for Bolton Wanderers at their home stadium.
Short Spell at Hull City
After one season in Qatar, Okocha joined Hull City in England in 2007. He said that "God had told him to do so." He played 18 games but didn't score any goals. He also had some fitness and injury problems.
However, Hull City still managed to get promoted to the Premier League for the first time in their history! At the end of that season, Okocha was released by the club, and he decided to retire from football. In 2012, he briefly came out of retirement to sign with an Indian team, but the league was postponed and then stopped before he could play any games.
Jay-Jay Okocha's International Career
Okocha played his first official game for Nigeria in May 1993. This was a World Cup qualifier against Ivory Coast. In his second game, his home debut, he became a fan favorite. Nigeria was losing 1–0 to Algeria, but Okocha scored a free kick to tie the game. Nigeria went on to win 4–1, which helped them qualify for their first-ever World Cup.
In 1994, he was part of the team that won the 1994 African Cup of Nations. He also played in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, where Nigeria reached the second round before losing to Italy.
Olympic Gold and African Cup of Nations
In 1996, Okocha was a key player for Nigeria's Olympic team at the Atlanta Games. This team was nicknamed the "Dream Team." They beat Brazil in the semi-finals and then came back from being 2–0 down to beat Argentina 3–2 in the final, winning the gold medal!
At the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Okocha entertained fans with his amazing skills and dribbles. He was even named in the "squad of the tournament."
Okocha also played in the 2000 African Cup of Nations, which Nigeria co-hosted. He scored three goals and received a standing ovation from the crowd. Nigeria reached the final but lost to Cameroon in a penalty shootout. He then captained the team in the 2002, 2004, and 2006 African Cup of Nations tournaments, where they finished in third place each time.
In March 2004, the legendary footballer Pelé named Okocha as one of the top 125 living footballers.
Jay-Jay Okocha's Playing Style
Jay-Jay Okocha was a fast, talented, and skillful playmaker. He usually played as an attacking midfielder. Many experts say he is the best Nigerian footballer ever and one of the best African players of all time.
Okocha was known for his confidence and clever tricks with the ball. He had amazing technique, creativity, and close control. He was famous for his smooth dribbling skills and his quick turns, especially his own version of the stepover, which was nicknamed the "Okocha stepover."
He was also great at passing the ball, which helped his teammates score goals. He could also take powerful shots from far away and was excellent at free kicks. He scored some truly spectacular goals throughout his career. Fans at Bolton Wanderers even had a chant that said he was "so good that they named him twice!"
Okocha inspired many other African footballers. He also influenced the playing style of famous players like Mesut Özil and Ronaldinho, who he played with at Paris Saint-Germain. Because of his skills, some people called him the "African Maradona."
After His Football Career
In 2014, Okocha was added to the FIFA video game series as a "Legend," honoring his great career.
He was elected as the Chair of the Delta State Football Association in Nigeria in 2015. He has also played in several charity football matches to help raise money for good causes. Since 2019, Okocha has worked as a football expert for the African sports channel, Supersports. He shares his thoughts and analysis on major tournaments.
Personal Life
Jay-Jay Okocha is part of the Anioma community, which is a group of the Igbo people in Nigeria. His older brother, Emmanuel, also played football for the Nigerian national team. Jay-Jay Okocha also has a nephew, Alex Iwobi, who plays football for Fulham and Nigeria.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Eintracht Frankfurt | 1992–93 | Bundesliga | 20 | 2 | 3 | 1 | – | 3 | 0 | 26 | 3 | |
| 1993–94 | Bundesliga | 19 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – | 4 | 2 | 25 | 4 | ||
| 1994–95 | Bundesliga | 27 | 7 | 2 | 0 | – | 7 | 0 | 36 | 7 | ||
| 1995–96 | Bundesliga | 24 | 7 | 1 | 1 | – | 4 | 3 | 29 | 11 | ||
| Total | 90 | 18 | 8 | 2 | – | 18 | 5 | 116 | 25 | |||
| Fenerbahçe | 1996–97 | 1.Lig | 33 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 45 | 18 |
| 1997–98 | 1.Lig | 29 | 14 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | 31 | 14 | ||
| Total | 62 | 30 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 76 | 32 | ||
| Paris Saint-Germain | 1998–99 | French Division 1 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 29 | 5 |
| 1999–2000 | French Division 1 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | 26 | 2 | ||
| 2000–01 | French Division 1 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 24 | 3 | |
| 2001–02 | French Division 1 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 33 | 10 | |
| Total | 84 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 17 | 7 | 112 | 20 | ||
| Bolton Wanderers | 2002–03 | Premier League | 31 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 | 7 | |
| 2003–04 | Premier League | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | – | 41 | 3 | ||
| 2004–05 | Premier League | 31 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | – | 33 | 7 | ||
| 2005–06 | Premier League | 27 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 37 | 1 | |
| Total | 124 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 142 | 18 | ||
| Hull City | 2007–08 | Championship | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 19 | 0 | |
| Career total | 402 | 80 | 19 | 3 | 17 | 5 | 52 | 13 | 489 | 101 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | 1993 | 3 | 1 |
| 1994 | 11 | 0 | |
| 1995 | 5 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1997 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1998 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2000 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2001 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2002 | 12 | 1 | |
| 2003 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 8 | 4 | |
| 2005 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2006 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 73 | 14 | |
- Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Okocha goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 July 1993 | Lagos, Nigeria |  Algeria |
1–1 | 4–1 | 1994 World Cup qualifier |
| 2 | 11 June 1995 | Boston, United States |  United States |
1–0 | 2–3 | 1995 US Cup |
| 3 | 23 January 2000 | Lagos, Nigeria |  Tunisia |
1–0 | 4–2 | 2000 African Cup of Nations |
| 4 | 2–1 | |||||
| 5 | 13 February 2000 | Lagos, Nigeria |  Cameroon |
2–2 | 2–2 | 2000 African Cup of Nations |
| 6 | 17 June 2000 | Lagos, Nigeria |  Sierra Leone |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2002 World Cup qualifier |
| 7 | 1 July 2001 | Omdurman, Sudan |  Sudan |
3–0 | 4–0 | 2002 World Cup qualifier |
| 8 | 26 March 2002 | London, England |  Paraguay |
1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 9 | 26 July 2003 | Watford, England |  Venezuela |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 10 | 31 January 2004 | Monastir, Tunisia |  South Africa |
2–0 | 4–0 | 2004 African Cup of Nations |
| 11 | 8 February 2004 | Monastir, Tunisia | Cameroon |
1–1 | 2–1 | 2004 African Cup of Nations |
| 12 | 11 February 2004 | Tunis, Tunisia | Tunisia |
1–0 | 1–1 | 2004 African Cup of Nations |
| 13 | 13 February 2004 | Monastir, Tunisia |  Mali |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2004 African Cup of Nations |
| 14 | 18 June 2005 | Kano, Nigeria |  Angola |
1–0 | 1–1 | 2006 World Cup qualifier |
Honours and Awards
Jay-Jay Okocha won many awards and trophies during his career:
Paris Saint-Germain
- Trophée des Champions: 1998
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2001
Bolton Wanderers
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2003–04 (They came in second place)
Hull City
- EFL Championship play-offs: 2008 (Helped the team get promoted)
Nigeria U23 (Under 23 team)
- Olympic Gold medal: Atlanta 1996
Nigeria National Team
Individual Awards
- Goal of the Year (Germany): 1993
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team (Reserve): 1998
- Premier League Player of the Month: November 2003
- Africa Cup of Nations Best Player: 2004
- Bolton Wanderers Player of the Year: 2004–05
- IFFHS All-time Africa Men's Dream Team: 2021
- FIFA 100 (Named one of the top 125 living footballers by Pelé)
See also
- Jay Jay Okocha Stadium
