Jay-Jay Okocha
Encyclopedia
Augustine Azuka "Jay-Jay" Okocha (born 14 August 1973 in Enugu
) is a Nigeria
n former professional footballer
who played as an attacking midfielder. He is known for his stepovers, skill, technique, and being 'so good that they named him twice' (a line immortalised in a terrace chant while Okocha played for Bolton Wanderers). While playing at Süper Lig
team Fenerbahçe, he became a Turkish
citizen as "Muhammet Yavuz".
In an interview with BBC Sport
he said "as far as I can remember, we used to play with anything, with any round thing we could find, and whenever we managed to get hold of a ball, that was a bonus! I mean it was amazing!" Known for making the move,"Sombrero Flick."
In 1990 he joined Enugu Rangers. In his time at the club he produced many spectacular displays including one where he rounded off and scored a goal, against experienced Nigerian goalkeeper William Okpara
in a match against BCC Lions
. Later he travelled to Germany to meet a friend, where he was asked to train with his team after impressing in training, and landed a deal with German Third Division side Borussia Neunkirchen
.
in 1992, where he linked up with many well-known players including Ghana
ian international striker Tony Yeboah
and later Thomas Doll
. He continued to shine for the German side, one highlight being a goal he scored against Karlsruhe
, dribbling in the penalty box and slotting the ball past Oliver Kahn
even going past some players twice. The goal was voted Goal of the Season by many soccer magazines. In 1995 Okocha, Yeboah and Maurizio Gaudino
were all involved in a feud with manager Jupp Heynckes
, which led to their departure from the club.
Yeboah and Gaudino later left for England, while Okocha stayed until the end of the season when Frankfurt were relegated to the Second division, before signing for Istanbul
club Fenerbaçhe.
club Fenerbahçe following Eintracht Frankfurt's relegation to Bundesliga 2. In his two seasons with the team he amassed thirty goals in sixty appearances, many of them coming from direct freekicks which had become something of a trademark for him at the club. He was also part of the side that historically defeated Manchester United
1–0 at Old Trafford in the 1996-1997 UEFA Champions League group stage. While at Fenerbahçe he became a Turkish citizen
as "Muhammet Yavuz".
splashed around $24 million on Okocha, making him the most expensive African player at the time. During his 4-year stint with PSG, he played 84 matches and scored 12 goals.
on a free transfer after leaving PSG in the summer of 2002 after the FIFA World Cup
. His debut season, despite being hampered by injury, made him a favourite with the Bolton fans, with the team printing shirts with the inscription "Jay-Jay – so good they named him twice". He steered the team away from relegation with seven goals, including the team Goal of the Season in the vital league win against West Ham. This was voted Bolton's best Premier League goal in a fans vote in 2008. The next season saw Okocha receive more responsibility as he was given the captain's armband following Guðni Bergsson
's retirement. As captain he led Bolton to their first cup final in nine years where they finished runners-up in the 2004 Football League Cup
.
In 2006, he was stripped of the captaincy – something he said he had seen coming, as there had been a change in attitude from some staff members. This had probably been due to his proposed move to the Middle East, which had been growing in speculation. At the end of the season, he refused a one-year extension in order to move to Qatar
.
side Hull City
signed Okocha on a free transfer in 2007, after the player had been linked to Real Salt Lake
and Sydney FC
. It was a move he made saying that "God had told him to do so". He however was not able to contribute greatly to Hull's promotion campaign due to fitness and constant injury problems, playing only 18 games and scoring no goals. Hull still succeeded in grabbing promotion to the Premier League, for the first time in their 104-year history. At the end of the season, after changing his mind on a proposed retirement due to Hull's promotion, he was released by the club, which sent him into retirement.
in their 2–1 1994 FIFA World Cup
Qualifier away loss against Ivory Coast
in May 1993.It was not until his second cap and home debut that he became a favourite with the Nigerian supporters. With Nigeria trailing 1–0 against Algeria
, in a match they needed to win, he scored from a direct freekick to equalise, before helping the team to a 4–1 win, eventually securing qualification to their first World Cup. In 1994 he was a member of both the victorious 1994 Africa Cup of Nations squad and the World Cup squad who made it to the second round before they lost in a dramatic match against eventual runners-up Italy
.
In 1996 Okocha became a member of an arguably more successful Nigerian side, their Olympic
gold winning side at the Atlanta Games
, later nicknamed Dream Team by the Nigerian press after the USA 1992 Olympic gold winning basketball team. In the 1998 FIFA World Cup
hosted by France, Okocha played for a disappointing Super Eagles side who failed to live up to expectations again reaching the round of 16, albeit with less impressive performances save for their 3–2 opening win against Spain
. This did not destroy interest in Okocha, who had entertained fans with his trademark skills and dribbles and went on to be named in the squad of the tournament.
Okocha again joined the Super Eagles in the 2000 African Cup of Nations
co-hosted with Ghana. He scored three goals in the tournament, two in the opening game against Tunisia
, and a left-foot blast from outside the penalty area into the top corner in the final against Cameroon
, which equalized the score 2-2 and ultimately would send the match into extra time. There was no change in the score during the supplement, so the winner was decided on penalties; Okocha converted his shot but Nigeria lost the shootout to earn the silver medal.
After a disappointing Nations Cup in 2002 where Nigeria ended up finishing third, Okocha was named Nigeria captain after Sunday Oliseh and Finidi George
were axed from the side. His first tournament as captain came that summer in the 2002 World Cup co-hosted by Korea
and Japan. Playing in Group E, the ‘group of the death’ alongside Argentina
, Sweden
and England
, Nigeria failed to make it to the next round gaining only one point in their final game, a goalless draw against England.
Okocha later led the Nigerian team to a third place finish at the 2004 African Nations Cup in Tunisia
, with some breathtaking displays, scoring four goals which include a spectacular free kick against Cameroun in the quarter finals and most notably the 1000th goal in Nations Cup history against South Africa
, and winning the Player of the tournament and joint Golden boot winner.
After failing to help Nigeria qualify for the 2006 World Cup, Okocha announced that he would retire from international scene after the Cup of Nations in Egypt. Injury prevented Okocha from featuring in any of Nigeria's opening fixtures and he did not regain fitness until the semi final loss against Ivory Coast. He then played in his final international appearance in a 2–1 victory in a third place playoff against Senegal
, he was then given a standing ovation by the nearly 60,000 attendance when he left the field.
He made a return to the Super Eagles in his testimonial against an African select side in Warri. The game featured former players Daniel Amokachi
, Alloysius Agu
and John Fashanu
, as well as current players Benjani and Sulley Muntari
. Nigeria won the game 2–1 with Okocha scoring the winning goal after appearing for the side in the second half.
's FIFA 100 (a list of the greatest 125 living players of all time). In 2007 he was voted number 12 on the greatest African footballers of the past 50 years list, on a poll conducted by CAF to coincide with their 50th anniversary.
2004 BBC African footballer of the year
2005 BBC African footballer of the year
2005 Bolton Wanderers footballer of the year
1995,1997,2000,2002,2003,2004,2005 Nigerian footballer of the year
1996 Nigerian footballer of the year runner up
ethnic group. His nephew is also an up and coming player of the Arsenal F.C. Academy
and is also a member of the England U-16 national team.
Okocha was named-checked in M.I.A
's single "Paper Planes
" featuring Afrikan Boy
with the lyrics "I'm a legend, just like Jay Jay Okocha".
, Samsung
, V-Mobile
and B-29 (Nigerian washing soap powder). He released a DVD in 2004 titled Superskills with Jay-Jay, where he taught difficult tricks to children. He also briefly promoted his own brand of water named Jay-Jay during the late 90s. He also owns a bar in Victoria Island
, Lagos
named Number 10 (his jersey number).
|1992–93||rowspan="4"|Eintracht Frankfurt
||rowspan="4"|Bundesliga
||20||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1993–94||19||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1994–95||27||7||||||||||||||||
|-
|1995–96||24||7||||||||||||||||
|-
|1996–97
||rowspan="2"|Fenerbahçe||rowspan="2"|Super League
||33||16||||||||||||||||
|-
|1997–98
||30||14||||||||||||||||
|-
|1998–99
||rowspan="4"|Paris Saint-Germain
||rowspan="4"|Ligue 1
||25||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|1999-00
||23||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|2000–01
||16||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|2001–02
||20||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|2002–03
||rowspan="4"|Bolton Wanderers
||rowspan="4"|Premier League||31||7||||||||||||||||
|-
|2003–04
||35||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2004–05
||31||6||||||||||||||||
|-
|2005–06
||27||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2006–07||Qatar
||||41||6||||||||||||||||
|-
|2007–08
||Hull City
||Championship
||18||0||||||||||||||||
|-
90||18||||||||||||||||
63||30||||||||||||||||
80||12||||||||||||||||
142||15||||||||||||||||
41||6||||||||||||||||
402||80||||||||||||||||
|-
|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
|}
Enugu
Enugu is the capital of Enugu State in Nigeria. It is located in the southeastern area of Nigeria and is largely populated by members of the Igbo ethnic group. The city has a population of 722,664 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. The name Enugu is derived from the two Igbo words Enu Ugwu...
) is a Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n former professional footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played as an attacking midfielder. He is known for his stepovers, skill, technique, and being 'so good that they named him twice' (a line immortalised in a terrace chant while Okocha played for Bolton Wanderers). While playing at Süper Lig
Turkcell Super League
The Süper Lig is a Turkish professional league for association football clubs. It is the top-flight of the Turkish football league system. It is one of the top leagues in the UEFA confederation and the winner of the competition automatically qualifies for the UEFA Champions League...
team Fenerbahçe, he became a Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
citizen as "Muhammet Yavuz".
Early years
Okocha's "Jay-Jay" name was actually passed down from his older brother James, who started playing football first. His immediate older brother Emmanuel was also called Emma Jay-jay, but the name stuck with Augustine. Okocha first began playing football on the street just like many other football stars, usually with a makeshift ball. Jay Jay Okocha was born in Enugu, Nigeria to Mr. & Mrs Okocha of Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, Nigeria.In an interview with BBC Sport
BBC Sport
BBC Sport is the sports division of the BBC. It became a fully dedicated division of the BBC in 2000. It incorporates programmes such as Match of the Day, Grandstand , Test Match Special, Ski Sunday, Rugby Special and coverage of Formula One motor racing, MotoGP and the Wimbledon Tennis...
he said "as far as I can remember, we used to play with anything, with any round thing we could find, and whenever we managed to get hold of a ball, that was a bonus! I mean it was amazing!" Known for making the move,"Sombrero Flick."
In 1990 he joined Enugu Rangers. In his time at the club he produced many spectacular displays including one where he rounded off and scored a goal, against experienced Nigerian goalkeeper William Okpara
William Okpara
William Nwadinobi Okpara is a former Nigerian football goalkeeper.-Career:He played for ACB from 1987 to 1994 and in South Africa with Orlando Pirates from 1994 to 2003.-International career:...
in a match against BCC Lions
BCC Lions
BCC Lions is a Nigerian football team based in Gboko and will play their home games at the J. S. Tarka Stadium.In the early 1990s, they were one of the dominant teams in the league, peaking with the double in 1994....
. Later he travelled to Germany to meet a friend, where he was asked to train with his team after impressing in training, and landed a deal with German Third Division side Borussia Neunkirchen
Borussia Neunkirchen
Borussia VfB Neunkirchen is a German association football club based in Neunkirchen, Saarland. The club SC Borussia Neunkirchen was founded out of the 1907 merger of FC 1905 Borussia and SC Neunkirchen.-History:...
.
Eintracht Frankfurt (1992–1996)
Okocha joined Eintracht FrankfurtEintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its association football club.- Club origins :...
in 1992, where he linked up with many well-known players including Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian international striker Tony Yeboah
Tony Yeboah
Anthony "Tony" Yeboah is a Ghanaian former footballer most noted for his time at European clubs 1. FC Saarbrücken, Eintracht Frankfurt, Leeds United and Hamburger SV during the 1990s...
and later Thomas Doll
Thomas Doll
Thomas Doll is a former footballer and coach. He is currently the Manager of Al-Hilal.- Career :...
. He continued to shine for the German side, one highlight being a goal he scored against Karlsruhe
Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC is a German association football club, based in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg. KSC rose out of the consolidation of a number of predecessor clubs. They currently play in the 2...
, dribbling in the penalty box and slotting the ball past Oliver Kahn
Oliver Kahn
Oliver Rolf Kahn is a former German football goalkeeper. He started his career in the Karlsruher SC Junior team. He had his debut game in the professional squad in 1987...
even going past some players twice. The goal was voted Goal of the Season by many soccer magazines. In 1995 Okocha, Yeboah and Maurizio Gaudino
Maurizio Gaudino
Maurizio Gaudino is a retired German football midfielder.He was capped five times for Germany in 1993 and 1994, and was in their squad for the 1994 World Cup....
were all involved in a feud with manager Jupp Heynckes
Jupp Heynckes
Josef "Jupp" Heynckes is a German football coach and former player. As player he belonged to the core of the team of Borussia Mönchengladbach in its golden era of the 1960s and 1970s where he won many national championships and the Cup as well as the UEFA Cup...
, which led to their departure from the club.
Yeboah and Gaudino later left for England, while Okocha stayed until the end of the season when Frankfurt were relegated to the Second division, before signing for Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
club Fenerbaçhe.
Fenerbahçe SK (1996–1998)
Okocha joined TurkishTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
club Fenerbahçe following Eintracht Frankfurt's relegation to Bundesliga 2. In his two seasons with the team he amassed thirty goals in sixty appearances, many of them coming from direct freekicks which had become something of a trademark for him at the club. He was also part of the side that historically defeated Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
1–0 at Old Trafford in the 1996-1997 UEFA Champions League group stage. While at Fenerbahçe he became a Turkish citizen
Turkish nationality law
Turkish nationality law is based primarily on the principle of jus sanguinis. Children who are born to a Turkish mother and a Turkish father in Turkey are Turkish citizens from birth....
as "Muhammet Yavuz".
Paris St-Germain (1998–2002)
In 1998 French side PSGParis Saint-Germain FC
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club , also known simply as Paris Saint-Germain and familiarly as Paris SG or PSG , is a professional association football club based in Paris, France. The club was founded on 12 August 1970, thanks to the merger of Paris FC and Stade Saint-Germain...
splashed around $24 million on Okocha, making him the most expensive African player at the time. During his 4-year stint with PSG, he played 84 matches and scored 12 goals.
Bolton Wanderers (2002–2006)
Okocha joined Bolton WanderersBolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
on a free transfer after leaving PSG in the summer of 2002 after the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
. His debut season, despite being hampered by injury, made him a favourite with the Bolton fans, with the team printing shirts with the inscription "Jay-Jay – so good they named him twice". He steered the team away from relegation with seven goals, including the team Goal of the Season in the vital league win against West Ham. This was voted Bolton's best Premier League goal in a fans vote in 2008. The next season saw Okocha receive more responsibility as he was given the captain's armband following Guðni Bergsson
Guðni Bergsson
Guðni Bergsson , is a former Icelandic football player who is best known for his time spent with Bolton Wanderers.-Club career:...
's retirement. As captain he led Bolton to their first cup final in nine years where they finished runners-up in the 2004 Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
.
In 2006, he was stripped of the captaincy – something he said he had seen coming, as there had been a change in attitude from some staff members. This had probably been due to his proposed move to the Middle East, which had been growing in speculation. At the end of the season, he refused a one-year extension in order to move to Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
.
Hull City AFC (2007–2008)
After just one season in Qatar, Football League ChampionshipFootball League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
side Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
signed Okocha on a free transfer in 2007, after the player had been linked to Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
and Sydney FC
Sydney FC
Sydney FC is a professional football club based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and competes in the country's premier football competition, the A-League...
. It was a move he made saying that "God had told him to do so". He however was not able to contribute greatly to Hull's promotion campaign due to fitness and constant injury problems, playing only 18 games and scoring no goals. Hull still succeeded in grabbing promotion to the Premier League, for the first time in their 104-year history. At the end of the season, after changing his mind on a proposed retirement due to Hull's promotion, he was released by the club, which sent him into retirement.
International career
Okocha made his official debut for NigeriaNigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
in their 2–1 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
Qualifier away loss against Ivory Coast
Côte d'Ivoire national football team
The Côte d'Ivoire National Football Team or Ivory Coast National Football Team, nicknamed Les Éléphants , represents Côte d'Ivoire in international football and is controlled by the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football...
in May 1993.It was not until his second cap and home debut that he became a favourite with the Nigerian supporters. With Nigeria trailing 1–0 against Algeria
Algeria national football team
The Algeria national football team , nicknamed الأفنــاك, Les Fennecs , represents Algeria in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne de Football. Algeria's home ground is the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers and their head coach is Vahid Halilhodžić.Algeria has qualified...
, in a match they needed to win, he scored from a direct freekick to equalise, before helping the team to a 4–1 win, eventually securing qualification to their first World Cup. In 1994 he was a member of both the victorious 1994 Africa Cup of Nations squad and the World Cup squad who made it to the second round before they lost in a dramatic match against eventual runners-up Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
.
In 1996 Okocha became a member of an arguably more successful Nigerian side, their Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
gold winning side at the Atlanta Games
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
, later nicknamed Dream Team by the Nigerian press after the USA 1992 Olympic gold winning basketball team. In the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
hosted by France, Okocha played for a disappointing Super Eagles side who failed to live up to expectations again reaching the round of 16, albeit with less impressive performances save for their 3–2 opening win against Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
. This did not destroy interest in Okocha, who had entertained fans with his trademark skills and dribbles and went on to be named in the squad of the tournament.
Okocha again joined the Super Eagles in the 2000 African Cup of Nations
2000 African Cup of Nations
The 2000 African Cup of Nations was the 22nd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the association football championship of Africa . It was co-hosted by Ghana and Nigeria, who jointly replaced Zimbabwe as host. Just like in 1998, the field of sixteen teams was split into four groups of four...
co-hosted with Ghana. He scored three goals in the tournament, two in the opening game against Tunisia
Tunisia national football team
The Tunisia national football team , nicknamed Les Aigles de Carthage , is the national team of Tunisia and is controlled by the Fédération Tunisienne de Football. They have qualified for four FIFA World Cups, the first one in 1978, but have yet to make it out of the first round...
, and a left-foot blast from outside the penalty area into the top corner in the final against Cameroon
Cameroon national football team
The Cameroon national football team, nicknamed Les Lions Indomptables , is controlled by the Fédération Camerounaise de Football and is Africa's most successful side in FIFA world cup; having qualified for the FIFA World Cup six times – in 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010– more than any...
, which equalized the score 2-2 and ultimately would send the match into extra time. There was no change in the score during the supplement, so the winner was decided on penalties; Okocha converted his shot but Nigeria lost the shootout to earn the silver medal.
After a disappointing Nations Cup in 2002 where Nigeria ended up finishing third, Okocha was named Nigeria captain after Sunday Oliseh and Finidi George
Finidi George
Finidi George is a retired Nigerian footballer who played as a right winger.After making a name for himself at Ajax in the Netherlands – being a leading figure in a team which won eight major titles, including the 1994–95 UEFA Champions League – he played several years in Spain with Real Betis,...
were axed from the side. His first tournament as captain came that summer in the 2002 World Cup co-hosted by Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and Japan. Playing in Group E, the ‘group of the death’ alongside Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
, Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
and England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, Nigeria failed to make it to the next round gaining only one point in their final game, a goalless draw against England.
Okocha later led the Nigerian team to a third place finish at the 2004 African Nations Cup in Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, with some breathtaking displays, scoring four goals which include a spectacular free kick against Cameroun in the quarter finals and most notably the 1000th goal in Nations Cup history against South Africa
South Africa national football team
The South Africa national football team represents South Africa in association football and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. South Africa's home ground is Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium due to a naming rights deal, in...
, and winning the Player of the tournament and joint Golden boot winner.
After failing to help Nigeria qualify for the 2006 World Cup, Okocha announced that he would retire from international scene after the Cup of Nations in Egypt. Injury prevented Okocha from featuring in any of Nigeria's opening fixtures and he did not regain fitness until the semi final loss against Ivory Coast. He then played in his final international appearance in a 2–1 victory in a third place playoff against Senegal
Senegal national football team
The Senegal national football team, nicknamed the Lions of Teranga, is the national team of Senegal and is controlled by the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football...
, he was then given a standing ovation by the nearly 60,000 attendance when he left the field.
He made a return to the Super Eagles in his testimonial against an African select side in Warri. The game featured former players Daniel Amokachi
Daniel Amokachi
Daniel Owefin Amokachi nicknamed "The Bull" is a former football striker from Nigeria.- Career :While playing for Ranchers Bees, Amokachi was discovered by Nigerian national team coach Clemens Westerhof, who brought the talented player to the 1990 African Nations Cup, and soon Amokachi moved to...
, Alloysius Agu
Alloysius Agu
Alloysius Uzoma Agu is a former football goalkeeper from Nigeria. Their number one choice in the early nineties, he played 28 international matches for the Nigerian national team. He was brought to the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the 1994 African Nations Cup as a cover for Peter Rufai. Agu retired at...
and John Fashanu
John Fashanu
John "Fash" Fashanu is a British television presenter and ex-footballer of Nigerian and Guyanese descent. In his former career, he was a centre-forward, who scored 134 league goals in a career lasting 17 years...
, as well as current players Benjani and Sulley Muntari
Sulley Muntari
Sulleyman Ali "Sulley" Muntari is a Ghanaian international footballer who currently plays as a central midfielder for Serie A club Inter Milan in Italy. He has 66 caps for The Black Stars of Ghana.-Early career:...
. Nigeria won the game 2–1 with Okocha scoring the winning goal after appearing for the side in the second half.
Honours
- Oberliga SüdwestOberliga SüdwestThe Oberliga Südwest is the highest regional football league for the Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland state of Germany. It is the fifth tier of the German football league system. It is one of eleven Oberligas in German Football, the 5th tier of the German football league system...
: 1991 - Saarland CupSaarland CupThe Saarland Cup is one of the 21 regional cup competitions of German football. The winner of the competition gains entry to the first round of the German Cup...
: 1990, 1992 - Fuji-CupFuji-CupThe Fuji-Cup was a German football competition held during the summer break from 1986 to 1996 immediately prior to the kick-off the Fußball-Bundesliga season. The competition featured four leading teams, playing two semi-finals and a final in a generally more provincial area of the country...
: 1992 - Chancellor CupChancellor CupThe Chancellor Cup is a defunct football competition in Turkey. It began in 1944 as a match between the winner of the Amateur Leagues and Milli Küme . It ran as a Milli Küme tournament until 1966....
: 1998 - Atatürk CupAtatürk CupThe Atatürk Cup is a defunct football competition in Turkey. In 1955, the Turkish Football Federation named a football tournament after Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Four clubs took place in the first edition: Beşiktaş J.K., Fenerbahçe S.K., Galatasaray S.K., Adalet and Vefa S.K. Adalet won the first...
: 1998 - Trophée des ChampionsTrophée des championsThe Trophée des champions , is a French association football trophy contested in an annual match between the champions of Ligue 1 and the winners of the Coupe de France. It is equivalent to the Super Cups found in many countries...
: 1998 - UEFA Intertoto CupUEFA Intertoto CupThe UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
: 2001 - Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
: Runner-Up: 2004 - Premier League Asia TrophyPremier League Asia TrophyThe Premier League Asia Trophy is a friendly four-team pre-season football tournament held in Asia every two years. The competition is contested by three Premier League football clubs and the home team...
: 2005 - Football League ChampionshipFootball League ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
play-offFootball League Play-OffsThe Football League play-offs are an annual series of football matches to determine some of the promotion places within the Football League. Essentially, each division of the league offers a certain number of automatic promotion places to the top two or three clubs. A further promotion place is...
: 2008
International Honours
- African Cup of NationsAfrican Cup of NationsThe Africa Cup of Nations, also referred to as the African Cup of Nations or African Nations Cup, officially CAN , is the main international association football competition in Africa. It is sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football , and was first held in 1957. Since 1968, it has been...
: 1994 - Afro-Asian Cup of NationsAfro-Asian Cup of NationsThe Afro-Asian Cup of Nations is played between the winners of the Asian Cup or the Asian Games and the winners of the Africa Cup of Nations. The first edition in 1978, where Iran defeated Ghana 3-0, the trophy was not awarded: because the second leg was cancelled due to political problems in Iran...
: 1995 - Olympic GamesOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
: 1996Football at the 1996 Summer OlympicsThe association football competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held in Birmingham, Alabama; Washington, D.C; Orlando, Florida; Miami, Florida; and Athens, Georgia.... - World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
- Round of 16: 19941994 FIFA World CupThe 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
, 19981998 FIFA World CupThe 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
- Round of 16: 1994
Individual Honours
Okocha never won the African Player of Year award, becoming arguably the best player never to win the award despite coming second twice in 1998 & 2004. He did however win the inaugural BBC African Footballer of the Year and the successive one, becoming the only player to retain the award and win it more than once. In 2004 he was listed in football legend PeléPelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
's FIFA 100 (a list of the greatest 125 living players of all time). In 2007 he was voted number 12 on the greatest African footballers of the past 50 years list, on a poll conducted by CAF to coincide with their 50th anniversary.
2004 BBC African footballer of the year
2005 BBC African footballer of the year
2005 Bolton Wanderers footballer of the year
1995,1997,2000,2002,2003,2004,2005 Nigerian footballer of the year
1996 Nigerian footballer of the year runner up
Personal life
Okocha met his wife Nkechi in 1994 and they have two children Daniella and A-Jay. His older brother Emmanuel was also a former international for the Nigerian team. Okocha is a cousin of Prof. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's former Minister of Finance, Foreign Affairs Minister and World Bank Managing Director. Okocha is also a member of the Anioma, a subgroup of IgboIgbo people
Igbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...
ethnic group. His nephew is also an up and coming player of the Arsenal F.C. Academy
Arsenal F.C. Academy
Arsenal Football Club Academy are the youth team of Arsenal Football Club. They currently play in the FA Premier Academy League, the highest level of youth football in England...
and is also a member of the England U-16 national team.
Okocha was named-checked in M.I.A
M.I.A. (artist)
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
's single "Paper Planes
Paper Planes
"Paper Planes" is a song recorded by musician M.I.A. for her second studio album Kala released in 2007. The song was written by Maya "M.I.A." Arulpragasam, Topper Headon, Mick Jones, Wesley "Diplo" Pentz, Paul Simonon, Joe Strummer and produced by Diplo with additional production by Switch...
" featuring Afrikan Boy
Afrikan Boy
Olushola Ajose, better known by his stage name Afrikan Boy is a grime MC from Woolwich, London, England, originally from Nigeria. He made a guest appearance on the track "Hussel" from the M.I.A. album Kala, and is one of the initial artists M.I.A. wanted signed to her label in 2007, then titled...
with the lyrics "I'm a legend, just like Jay Jay Okocha".
Sponsorships and other ventures
Okocha has appeared in commercials for PepsiPepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
, Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
, V-Mobile
V-Mobile
Vmobile was a Nigerian mobile phone network provider with close to a million subscribers in 2004. The company was previously owned by Econet Wireless Nigeria, but after a shareholder dispute was purchased by Vodacom of South Africa. The Vodacom deal was short lived, and the operator soon...
and B-29 (Nigerian washing soap powder). He released a DVD in 2004 titled Superskills with Jay-Jay, where he taught difficult tricks to children. He also briefly promoted his own brand of water named Jay-Jay during the late 90s. He also owns a bar in Victoria Island
Victoria Island (Nigeria)
Victoria Island is an affluent town that encompasses a former island of the same name that sits between Lagos Island and the Lekki Peninsula in the Lagos Lagoon. It is the main business and financial centre of Lagos, Nigeria. Victoria Island is one of the most exclusive and expensive areas to...
, Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
named Number 10 (his jersey number).
Career statistics
|-|1992–93||rowspan="4"|Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its association football club.- Club origins :...
||rowspan="4"|Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
||20||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1993–94||19||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1994–95||27||7||||||||||||||||
|-
|1995–96||24||7||||||||||||||||
|-
|1996–97
Turkish First Football League 1996-97
-Overview:It was contested by 18 teams, and Galatasaray S.K. won the championship. Sarıyer G.K., Denizlispor and Zeytinburnuspor relegated to Second League.-League table:...
||rowspan="2"|Fenerbahçe||rowspan="2"|Super League
Turkcell Super League
The Süper Lig is a Turkish professional league for association football clubs. It is the top-flight of the Turkish football league system. It is one of the top leagues in the UEFA confederation and the winner of the competition automatically qualifies for the UEFA Champions League...
||33||16||||||||||||||||
|-
|1997–98
Turkish First Football League 1997-98
-Overview:It was contested by 18 teams, and Galatasaray S.K. won the championship. And demotion of Kayserispor, Şekerspor, Vanspor was decided.-League table:...
||30||14||||||||||||||||
|-
|1998–99
Division 1 season 1998-99
FC Girondins de Bordeaux won Division 1 season 1998/1999 of the French Association Football League with 72 points..-Participating teams:-Results:-Final table:Promoted from Ligue 2 , who will play in Division 1 season 1999/2000...
||rowspan="4"|Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain FC
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club , also known simply as Paris Saint-Germain and familiarly as Paris SG or PSG , is a professional association football club based in Paris, France. The club was founded on 12 August 1970, thanks to the merger of Paris FC and Stade Saint-Germain...
||rowspan="4"|Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
||25||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|1999-00
Division 1 season 1999-2000
AS Monaco won Division 1 season 1999/2000 of the French Association Football League with 65 points.-Participating teams:-Final table:Promoted from Ligue 2 , who will play in Division 1 season 2000/2001** Lille OSC: champion of Ligue 2...
||23||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|2000–01
Division 1 season 2000-01
FC Nantes won Division 1 season 2000/2001 of the French Association Football League with 68 points.-Participating teams:-Final table:Promoted from Ligue 2 , who will play in Division 1 season 2001/2002** FC Sochaux-Montbéliard : champion of Ligue 2...
||16||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|2001–02
Division 1 season 2001-02
Olympique Lyonnais won Division 1 season 2001/2002 of the French Association Football League with 66 points. The title was decided in the very final game of the season when Lyon received erstwhile championship leaders Lens at Stade Gerland...
||20||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|2002–03
FA Premier League 2002-03
The 2002–03 FA Premier League was the eleventh season of the Premier League, the top division in English football. The first matches were played on 17 August 2002 and the last were played on 11 May 2003...
||rowspan="4"|Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
||rowspan="4"|Premier League||31||7||||||||||||||||
|-
|2003–04
FA Premier League 2003-04
The 2003–04 FA Premier League season was the twelfth season of the Premier League. In the end, Arsenal went through the season without a single defeat – only the second ever team to do so and were crowned champions once more, at the expense of Chelsea, who had spent heavily throughout the...
||35||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2004–05
FA Premier League 2004-05
The 2004–05 season of the FA Premier League began on 14 August 2004 and ended on 15 May 2005. Arsenal were the defending champions after going unbeaten the previous season....
||31||6||||||||||||||||
|-
|2005–06
FA Premier League 2005-06
The 2005–06 season of the FA Premier League began on 13 August 2005, and concluded on 7 May 2006. The season saw Chelsea F.C retain their title after defeating Manchester United 3–0 at Stamford Bridge towards the end of April...
||27||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2006–07||Qatar
Qatar Sports Club
Qatar Sports Club is a sports club based in Doha, Qatar. It is best known for its football team that plays in the Qatari League.Qatar Sports Club players wear a yellow shirt and black shorts as their home kit and have the fourth largest stadium in Qatar, Qatar SC Stadium, which has a capacity of...
||||41||6||||||||||||||||
|-
|2007–08
The Football League 2007-08
The Football League is contested through three divisions in England and Wales. The divisions are the League Championship, League One and League Two. The winner and the runner up of the League Championship will be automatically promoted to the Premier League and they will be joined by the winner of...
||Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
||Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
||18||0||||||||||||||||
|-
90||18||||||||||||||||
63||30||||||||||||||||
80||12||||||||||||||||
142||15||||||||||||||||
41||6||||||||||||||||
402||80||||||||||||||||
|-
|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
|}
External links
- Jay-Jay Okocha non official website
- Okocha's profile at NigerianPlayers.com
- FootballDatabase provides Jay-Jay Okocha's profile and stats
- Jay Jay Okocha Myspace
- Jay-Jay Okocha for Eintracht Frankfurt