Super Eagles legend Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha has settled one of football’s biggest debates by naming the player he considers the greatest African footballer he has seen.
When asked to choose between some of the continent’s most celebrated stars, Okocha placed former Liberia captain George Weah above Cameroon legends Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba.
“I will give it to George Weah,” Okocha said during an interview on the ObiOne podcast.
His choice was based on both Weah’s individual achievement and his standing in world football, with Okocha pointing to a distinction no other African player has matched.
“He is the only African to win the Ballon d’Or, and the numbers back that up,” he added.
Weah won the prestigious award in 1995 after a remarkable year with Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan, becoming the first and, so far, only African player to claim the men’s Ballon d’Or.
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Okocha’s decision did not diminish the achievements of Eto’o and Drogba, whom he also recognised as outstanding African players.
The two Cameroonian and Ivorian forwards enjoyed decorated careers at the highest level of European football, winning major trophies and establishing themselves among the continent’s most accomplished strikers.
But when forced to identify one player above the rest, Okocha opted for Weah.
“I saw Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba play too; great players both, but for me, it is Weah,” he said.
The choice carries particular weight coming from Okocha, who played alongside and against many of the leading African footballers of his generation.
Messi over Ronaldo
Okocha was also asked to make another heavyweight choice, this time between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and his answer was unequivocal, Messi.
“Messi. Ronaldo is a special player,” Okocha said.
While acknowledging Ronaldo’s extraordinary consistency and the work that has gone into his career, Okocha believes Messi possesses a natural footballing ability that sets him apart.
“Messi was born to play football,” he said.
Okocha also highlighted the Argentine’s ability to process the game before receiving the ball, arguing that what can appear to be casual movement is actually part of his awareness.
“Sometimes he looks like he is just walking around, but once the ball reaches him, you realise he has been scanning the whole time. That is a gift.”
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