Jay-Jay Okocha

1990/91 Enugu Rangers (NIG)

1991/92 Borussia Neunkirchen (GER) 35 games, 7 goals

1992/96 Eintracht Frankfurt (GER) 112 games, 20 goals

(German League: 90 games, 16 goals)

(German Cup: 8 games, 2 goals)

(UEFA Cup: 14 games, 2 goals)

1996/98 Fenerbahçe (TUR) 73 games, 31 goals

(Turkish League: 63 games, 30 goals)

(Champions League: 8 games, 1 goal)

(UEFA Cup: 2 games)

1998/2002 Paris SG (FRA) 107 games, 16 goals

(French Championship: 84 matches, 13 goals)

(French Cup: 4 matches)

(League Cup: 8 matches, 1 goal)

(Champions League: 6 matches, 1 goal)

(Cup Winners' Cup: 2 matches, 1 goal)

(UEFA Cup: 3 matches)

2002/06 Bolton Wanderers (ENG) 145 matches, 18 goals

(English Premier League: 124 matches, 14 goals)

(English Cup: 4 matches)

(English League Cup 10 matches, 4 goals)

(UEFA Cup: 7 matches)

2006/07 Qatar SC (QAT) 31 matches, 6 goals

2007/08 Hull City (ENG) 19 matches

(English Championship: 18 matches)

(English Cup: 1 match)

With the National Team :

73 caps, 14 goals

(Friendly matches: 13 caps, 2 goals)

(World Cup qualifiers: 20 caps, 4 goals)

(World Cup: 9 caps)

(Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers: 4 caps)

(Africa Cup of Nations: 22 caps, 7 goals)

(Confederations Cup: 3 caps)

(Afro-Asian Cup: 1 cap)

(US Cup: 1 cap, 1 goal)

1st cap: May 2, 1993 against Côte d'Ivoire (1-3)

Last cap: February 9, 2006 against Senegal (1-0)

Olympic: 6 caps, 2 goals

Augustine Azuka Okocha

Born August 14, 1973 in Lagos (NIG)

Nigerian, Attacking-midfielder, Right-winger, Striker, 1m73

Nickname: "Jay-Jay"

Jay-Jay Okocha was born on August 14, 1973 in Lagos, Nigeria. He played in the neighborhoods of his hometown before signing for the local club Enugu Rangers. Well above the rest, he was quickly spotted by a German club, Borussia Neunkirchen, which was then playing in the German third division.

He then joined the German elite the following year by signing for Eintracht Frankfurt. He was then 19 years old and he spent 4 years there, he scored some anthology goals, notably against Bayern Munich but also against Oliver Kahn's Karlsruhe club, Okocha humiliated him by dribbling him and the defenders in the penalty area.

In 1996, he decided to leave Germany after the club was relegated to the German second division, he then joined Fenerbahçe. Becoming more consistent and better at finishing, he became one of the darlings of the Turkish club. There he discovered the Champions League and made great performances.

A 1m74 playmaker, he had an exceptional dribbling quality, capable of inventing new skills and chaining them together in a match. He had an ease in changing support, dribbling, accelerating, humiliating and scoring, even if finishing was not one of his strengths. With his qualities, he gradually became one of the best African players in the history of football.

With the Nigerian national team, the player will become a legend. He became an international in 1993 and then he played in the 1994 World Cup where he had a heroic run, reaching the quarter-finals, a historic performance. Then in 1996, he became Olympic champion with Nigeria.

In 1998, he participated in the World Cup where he reached the round of 16, he did not shine but once again, his team had a great run. In the summer of the same year, he joined Paris Saint-Germain for a record amount, 100 million francs. It only took him 120 seconds to score his first goal with the Parisian club, and to become a fan favorite at the same time.

However, his time at PSG was far from perfect, the player was far from decisive and lacked efficiency. He alternated between brilliant performances and forgettable matches. After a hundred matches in the French capital, he left France and joined England. During the summer of 2002, he participated in the 2002 World Cup without much success.

In the Premier League, the player will find his best level, with his technical gestures and a partnership with Youri Djorkaeff, he shines again and becomes the captain of Bolton Wanderers. In 2004, he reached the final of the English League Cup in 2004. Then in 2006, he leaves European football to join Qatar before returning to England to finish his career in 2008, at the age of 35.

- 2nd best African player of the year in 1998

- Voted African footballer of the year by BBC in 2003 and 2004

- Voted best player of the African Cup of Nations in 2004

- Voted Bolton Wanderers player of the year in 2005

- Top scorer of the African Cup of Nations in 2004 (4 goals)

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