I n a candid and wideranging interview on The Exchange podcast, Nigerian football legend, Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha, pinpointed his formative years in Germany as the definitive period that crafted his legendary career and personal identity. He offered a rare glimpse into the mind of the man behind the magic.
Hosted by Femi Soneye, the conversation moved beyond Okocha’s iconic dribbles and showmanship, delving into the pivotal experiences of a player, whose name became synonymous with creative brilliance.
Soneye introduced Okocha as “the gold standard of skill, discipline, and pure showmanship,” setting the stage for a reflective dialogue. When asked which country had the most profound impact on him, Okocha’s answer was immediate and unequivocal.
“Germany,” he stated, explaining that he arrived at Eintracht Frankfurt as a 17-year-old boy and left as a man. “The discipline that they taught me in Germany, the professionalism that they taught me in Germany, I didn’t see it anywhere else,” Okocha revealed, crediting these foundational values with sustaining his entire career.
The legend, known for making football look like art, traced the origin of his entertaining style back to the streets of Enugu. He explained that his dazzling footwork became his identity abroad, a way to add natural, street-honed flair to the structured, tactical European game.
“I realised that I’m different,” Okocha said. “So if I’m different, I have to bring something new to the table.” While Okocha’s career glittered across France, Turkey, and England, he confessed to one unfulfilled ambition: playing for Barcelona. He also identified gritty Premier League teams like Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers as his toughest opponents, noting they played an “ugly” style of football that was difficult to face.
Shifting focus to the state of Nigerian football, Okocha presented a stark diagnosis, pinpointing the disbandment of the national team after the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations as the moment the decline began. He described the 2002 World Cup squad as “the weakest that I played,” arguing a proper transition was never managed.
“We’ve lost that fear, that fear factor,” Okocha lamented. “Before, nations used to be scared to play Nigeria. Now, teams are looking forward to playing Nigeria.” When pressed on a potential solution, Okocha was unequivocal: The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) must integrate former players into its structure.
Recalling his time with the Super Eagles at the last AFCON, he noted the immediate respect and connection he commanded. “You cannot really understand how they feel if you’ve never been in the dressing room,” he told Soneye. “That connection can never be there.”
Directly addressing rumors of a future in football administration, Okocha did not rule out a run for the NFF presidency. “If you get to the level that we have to come out and say that enough is enough… why not? You never know what would happen,” he stated, though he admitted to enjoying his current private life.
Reflecting on his personal accolades, Okocha expressed a rare note of professional disappointment, revealing he felt he never received the full reward his talent deserved. Despite winning the BBC African Footballer of the Year award back-to-back, he never won the CAF version.
“I think I might be the only person that… [was] good enough for one and not good enough for the other,” he mused. As the conversation on The Exchange with Femi Soneye drew to a close, Okocha identified his famous 1993 solo goal for Eintracht Frankfurt as the moment that made him a star in Europe.
When asked how his life story should be adapted for film, he proposed the title, “An Unknown Genius,” with Denzel Washington as his first choice to portray him, a fitting capstone to an interview that revealed both the celebrated genius and the reflective man behind the legendary nickname.
