Nigerian football icon Jay-Jay Okocha has delivered an emotional tribute to Eintracht Frankfurt after being chosen to front the Bundesliga club’s 2026/27 away kit launch, describing the German side as the club that shaped him into a professional footballer.
The former Super Eagles captain, who remains one of Frankfurt’s greatest ever players and an official club ambassador, was the face and voice of the club’s latest Adidas kit campaign.
Beyond narrating the launch video, Okocha also shared a deeply personal message reflecting on his years at the club and the lasting connection he still feels with the Eagles.
“I owe this club so much” Jay-Jay Okocha. Photocredit: Eintracht Frankfurt /X
Although the new away shirt is predominantly white a colour Okocha never wore during his playing days in Frankfurt the Nigerian legend explained why it still carries special meaning.
“Although I never played for Eintracht in an all-white kit, the colour is closely connected in my mind with the club’s successes during the 1970s and 1980s, achievements that were still very much part of the club’s identity when I arrived in Frankfurt.”
He also spoke fondly about wearing the club’s iconic eagle crest, describing it as a privilege.
“I did, however, have the privilege of wearing the special eagle crest from that era.”
For Okocha, however, the greatest gift Frankfurt offered was not simply the opportunity to play in the Bundesliga, but the platform to grow into one of world football’s most gifted entertainers.
“I owe an incredible amount to this club. Frankfurt gave me everything I needed to become a professional footballer.”
Jay-Jay Okocha collects the ball from Uwe Bein with only Oliver Kahn to beat. He declines the opportunity to shoot with his left, shifting the ball to his right foot before leaving the Karlsruhe goalkeeper on the grass with an extravagant feint. Photocredit: Getty Images
The Nigerian great also looked back on one of the most exciting periods in the club’s modern history.
Okocha recalled a team renowned for its fearless attacking football, believing Frankfurt set the standard in German football during his time at the club.
“During that period, we played the best and most exciting football in Germany Football 2000. We had a fantastic team and an outstanding spirit.”
His comments brought back memories of the side that thrilled Bundesliga supporters with its attacking philosophy and flair, qualities Okocha himself embodied throughout his four years spell at the club.
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Rather than dwell solely on the past, Okocha used the occasion to send an inspiring message to the current squad ahead of the new season.
He expressed his hope that today’s players can recreate the unity, ambition and team spirit that defined his generation.
“That is exactly what I wish for this team this season as well together with, and while wearing, an incredibly beautiful away shirt.”
In 1993,Jay-Jay Okocha beat Oliver Kahn to score what Jurgen Klopp called the greatest ever Bundesliga goal. Photocredit: Getty Images
Okocha arrived at Eintracht Frankfurt in 1992 and quickly established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s brightest talents.
His dazzling dribbling ability, unforgettable solo goals and fearless creativity turned him into a cult hero among supporters, while his famous strike against Karlsruher SC in 1993 remains one of the greatest goals in Bundesliga history.
Nearly three decades after leaving the club, Frankfurt continues to celebrate his legacy.
Their decision to entrust the unveiling of the 2026/27 away kit to Okocha is further evidence that his influence extends far beyond his playing career.
He remains one of the club’s defining icons another reminder that Jay-Jay Okocha’s brilliance continues to command admiration on one of Europe’s biggest stages long after he hung up his boots.
