Nigerian football legend Jay-Jay Okocha has spoken out about his long-standing omission from the CAF African Player of the Year winners list, stating that he believes he did enough during his career to clinch the prestigious award at least once.
The former Super Eagles midfielder, known globally for his mesmerizing footwork and flair, reflected on what he feels was an unfair snub.
“I thought I did enough to have won it (the CAF Player of the Year), but at the end of the day, I have to take it on the chin and say maybe that’s life,” Okocha told Omasports.
“You can’t have it all, maybe it wasn’t meant to be. But I believe I deserved in at least one occasion to have won it. Because if you look at that list and look at some of the people that won it during my time, I agree that it was unfair.”
Okocha came closest to winning the award in 1998, finishing as runner-up to Morocco’s Mustapha Hadji.
Despite this, Okocha’s impact on African and world football is undeniable. He played a crucial role in Nigeria’s 1994 AFCON victory, was top scorer in the 2004 edition, and dazzled at clubs like Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahce, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bolton Wanderers.
He also bagged multiple BBC African Footballer of the Year awards proof of the admiration he commanded among fans, even if official recognition eluded him.
For many, Okocha remains one of the most gifted players never to win the CAF award an enduring symbol of how pure talent doesn’t always translate to trophies.
