One of the most gifted footballers to ever run with a ball on a pitch turned a year older today to yet another round of applause from football lovers the works over
World football-governing body, FIFA, Africa’s number one football organization CAF, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, and English club Bolton Wanderers have felicitated with Super Eagles legend, Austin Okocha, on his 47th birthday.
Born on 14 August 1973, Okocha enjoyed a brilliant football career playing for and securing cult hero status at Frankfurt, Fenerbahce, Paris St. Germaine, Bolton Wanderers as well as Hull City.
The two-time BBC Africa Player of the Year was a vital member of the Nigerian squad that lifted the 1994 African Cup of Nations and also qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time that same year.
A talented and skilful playmaker, Okocha was named Nigeria Player of the Year a record seven times and is considered by many as the best Nigerian footballer ever.
Many took to the social media site, Twitter, to send birthday wishes to the man who once had fans enthralled with the ball between his feet.
https://twitter.com/thenff/status/1294161585339015173
https://twitter.com/CAF_Online/status/1294197069528223745
https://twitter.com/FIFAcom/status/1294202346386358274
https://twitter.com/ESPNFC/status/1294268848439525381
It’s Jay-Jay Okocha’s birthday today.
— Proper Football (@sid_lambert) August 14, 2020
So let’s remember the time he robbed Oliver Kahn and the entire Karlsruhe defence of their dignity.pic.twitter.com/QqfsqwYogp
Jay-Jay Okocha turns 47 years old today.
— COPA90 (@Copa90) August 14, 2020
Here he is at 20 years old pulling the great Oliver Kahn’s pants down. pic.twitter.com/FMYC1skDb0
It’s Augustine Azuka “Jay-Jay” Okocha’s birthday today.
— MUNDIAL (H) (@MundialMag) August 14, 2020
Jay-Jay once said of his childhood, “We used to play with anything, with any round thing we could find.”
What an absolute privilege it was to watch him play with a round thing on a football pitch. pic.twitter.com/rxWbpwpAgU
🗒️ 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵…👇🏻
— Bolton Wanderers (@OfficialBWFC) August 14, 2020
🛁 Visit the bathroom.
🥣 Breakfast.
☕️ Morning brew.
🐐 Watch 🔟 classic Okocha goals! 🇳🇬⚽️#BWFC 🐘🏰 pic.twitter.com/xPk2zEDHqC
Okocha scored 14 goals in 73 games garnered across 13 years for the Super Eagles before he retired in 2006.