Senegal legend El-Hadji Diouf says Nigeria’s Austin Jay Jay Okocha is the most talented footballer Africa has ever produced.
Noted for his dribbling skills and trickery on the ball, Okocha is regarded as one of the finest footballers to have come out of Africa.
Okocha was part of the Super Eagles side that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia and Nigeria’s U-23 side that won the gold medal in the football event of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
The 46-year-old however failed to win a major title at level with the likes of Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o ranked ahead of him in the list of Africa’s greatest footballers.
Despite not winning any title at club level, Diouf believes Okocha is the most talented footballer he has come across.
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“Today I respect what they [Drogba and Eto’o] have achieved in football and I
will always defend them,” Diouf told RSI.
“The most talented of African footballers, who have played the game on the
continent, since I was born, is Jay Jay Okocha”.
“To be talented doesn’t necessarily mean that you are the best or have won
the most titles in your career, we’ll always have people who will win more
trophies and I respect that.
“He is the most talented player that I have ever seen. He did not win as many
trophies as the others, he did not win the Golden Ball but no one can argue
that he is the most talented African footballer of all times.”
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COMMENTS
I agree, Diouf. Life’s not always fair and the first is not always the best. Kanu too had so much guile & trickery (but not dribbling skills) in his boots, but at least he won a CAF APOTY award.
Great facts from diouf. Okocha was something else. He is so good they named him twice- Jay jay