Cameroon legend Samuel Eto’o insists Nigerian Austin Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha was as talented as Brazilian Ronaldinho Gaúcho and labels as "injustice in world football" for the lack of recognition accorded the African.
Eto'o, who is the current President of the Cameroonian Football Federation, believes the Nigerian super star did not get the much needed global recognition because he is an African.
Okocha enjoyed a fabolous career spanning almost two decades - where he clinched the Africa Cup of Nations title with the Super Eagles in 1994.
Okocha enjoyed a successful career spanning almost two decades and won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994 with the Super Eagles.
He was also instrumental to Nigeria winning Africa’s first Olympic gold at Atlanta ’96
Okocha also mentored Ronaldinho when the Brazilian was finding his feet in European football at Paris Saint-Germain
But while Ronaldinho went on to win two FIFA World Player of the Year awards and a Ballon d’Or, Okocha never came close to claiming any of those global honours before calling time on his career in 2008.
“It’s the injustice of world football,” Eto’o said, as per Onvoitout.
“What we saw Ronaldinho do a few years ago, Jay-Jay (Okocha) had done 10 or 15 years before and he never had the recognition of others. And that’s what happens when it comes to Africa.”