Samuel Eto’o, a former Cameroonian striker, has claimed that Nigerian superstar Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha was as gifted as Brazilian great Ronaldinho Gacho.
Eto’o has expressed his dissatisfaction with Okocha’s lack of recognition, calling it “the injustice of world football.”
Okocha had an almost two-decade-long career with the Super Eagles, winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994.
He also helped Nigeria win Africa’s first Olympic gold in Atlanta in 1996.
In 2004, the former Bolton Wanderers midfielder was named one of only four African players to make Pele’s list of 125 living giants of the sport, alongside Abedi Pele, George Weah, and Roger Milla.
When Ronaldinho was establishing himself in European football at Paris Saint-Germain, Okocha was a mentor to him.
But, unlike Ronaldinho, who went on to win two FIFA World Player of the Year titles and a Ballon d’Or before retiring in 2008, Okocha never came close to winning any of those worldwide trophies.
According to Onvoitout, Eto’o added, “It’s the injustice of world football.”
“What we saw Ronaldinho achieve a few years ago, Jay-Jay (Okocha) had done 10 or 15 years before that, and he never got the credit he deserved.” And when it comes to Africa, that’s exactly what happens.”
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