Happy Birthday, Jay-Jay Okocha!

Today, we celebrate the 52nd birthday of one of football’s most entertaining artists – Augustine “Jay-Jay” Okocha, born on 14 August 1973 in Enugu, Nigeria. Some dazzling dribbles, audacious skills, and a joyous style of play, Okocha left a lasting mark on Ligue 1 during a memorable four-year spell with Paris Saint-Germain.

In the summer of 1998, PSG made headlines by signing Okocha from Fenerbahçe for a then-African record fee of around €16 million. The Nigerian playmaker arrived in Paris with a reputation for the spectacular – and he more than delivered. In his first season, he helped PSG win the Trophée des Champions and the UEFA Intertoto Cup.

Okocha’s time in the capital also saw him play a key role in nurturing future superstars. None more so than Ronaldinho, who has repeatedly cited the Nigerian as an inspiration and guide during their shared time at PSG.

For Nigeria, Okocha was equally influential. He earned 73 caps for the Super Eagles, scoring 14 goals, and was part of the squads that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and the 1996 Olympic gold medal. Individually, he was named Best Player and Top Scorer at the 2004 AFCON.

After leaving Paris in 2002, Okocha became a Premier League favourite at Bolton Wanderers. 

Happy birthday, Jay-Jay – and thank you for making football beautiful.

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