Augustine Azuka Okocha (born 14 August 1973) professionally known as Jay-Jay Okocha is a Nigerian former professional footballer and one of Nigeria’s greatest-ever footballers.
The attacking midfielder featured 73 times for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, dazzling and entertaining with his unrivaled array of skills.
The great man eventually retired in 2006, after over two decades of wearing the famous green and white of Nigeria. Jay-Jay Okocha is revered as one of the most naturally gifted footballers to ever play the game.
Real Facts About Jay Jay Okocha
- Full Name: Augustine Azuka Okocha
- Stage Name: Jay-Jay Okocha
- Born: 14 August 1973
- Age: 49 years old (2022)
- Place of Birth: Enugu, Nigeria
- State Of Origin: Delta State
- Nationality: Nigerian
- Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Azuka Okocha
- Siblings: Zara Okocha, Emmanuel Okocha, Renee Okocha
- Wife: Nkechi Okocha (m. 1997)
- Children: Ajay Okocha, Daniella Okocha
- Occupation: Footballer
- Net Worth: N/A
Jay Jay Okocha Life & Education
Jay-Jay Okocha was born to Mr. and Mrs. Azuka Okocha, on the 14th of August in 1973. He was born in Enugu State, Nigeria but originally hails from Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State Nigeria.
He has three siblings: Emmanuel Okocha, Renee Okocha, and Zara Okocha. Jay-Jay Okocha found a love for footballing right from childhood. He endorsed the playing of football as a profession featuring in local football teams and playing at the grassroots prior to being discovered.
There is no record of his educational background yet.
Jay Jay Okocha Club Football Career
Like most of his Super Eagles contemporaries, Jay-Jay Okocha began his playing career here in Nigeria, precisely with Enugu Rangers in Enugu State. Given the incredible talents he possessed, it wasn’t going to be long before he got snapped up by a European club.
His European football career began in a modest fashion when he joined Borussia Neunkirchen- then a third-division side in Germany, but he would soon leave for Frankfurt, where he truly made his name in German football. Jay-Jay Okocha spent four years in Frankfurt, from 1992 to 1996, before moving on to Fenerbahce in Turkey.
The former Super Eagles skipper played for the Istanbul giants between 1996 and 1998, after which he secured a big money transfer to the French side, Paris St. Germain, following his exploits with the Super Eagles at the France 1998 World Cup. He would spend four years in the French Capital before teaming up with Sam Allardyce’s Bolton in 2002.
While Bolton wasn’t the most fashionable club Jay-Jay Okocha played for, he arguably made his biggest impact on the English side. He transformed the club from Premier League stragglers to a stable top-flight side and led them to their first major final- the EFL Cup final in 2004 (lost to Middlesboro).
Jay Jay Okocha International Football Career
Jay-Jay Okocha played for Nigeria for over 20 years, debuting in 1993 and retiring in 2006. He first played for the Super Eagles in 1993, featuring in a 2-1 defeat to Cote d’Ivoire in a World Cup qualifier.
He didn’t take long to make his first major contribution in an Eagles shirt, scoring in his second cap as Nigeria battled back from a goal down to defeat Algeria 4-1 in another crucial World Cup qualifier.
Jay-Jay Okocha continued to represent the Eagles for the next ten years after the 1996 Olympics success, featuring at two more World Cups (France 1998 and Korea/Japan 2002). He also helped Nigeria to a runners-up medal at the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations, notably captaining the team to third place at the 2004 tournament in Tunisia.
Jay Jay Okocha Net Worth
After a series of research, it is safe to say that the Nigerian football icon, Jay-Jay Okocha has accumulated so much wealth himself, his net worth is unavailable at the time of this article.
