Brazil football great Ronaldinho confesses respect for Nigeria’s Jay-Jay Okocha

Ronaldinho Gaucho, former Brazil and Barcelona attacking midfielder, has revealed two attackers who he admired most as a footballer.

The player said two former national team captains were his most admired attackers. He named them as former Nigerian and Colombian skippers, Austin Jay-Jay Okocha and Carlos Valderrama.

The Brazilian joined other former football stars in Bahrain for the FIFA congress this week. He used his social media handles to share photos of his engagement where he met Okocha, Valderrama, former Brazilian skipper, Cafu and other stars.

 “The Only 10 shirt I’ve always admired. Jay-Jay Okocha (iamokocha) and Carlos Valderrama (PibeValderramaP),” his tweet read.

Ronaldinho is a successful player both at club and country levels. He won every trophy there was to pick in the Spanish top flight. He won the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona and also went ahead to help them win the FIFA club championship.

He also won the World Cup with the national team and picked a series on individual accolades including the FIFA World Best player.

Austin Jay-Jay Okocha (43), born in Nigeria’s southern Enugu State, is reputed as one of the country and the continent’s most skillful players during the time he was active.

Young Okocha started his playing career with the Enugu Rangers, between 1990 and 2008 when he hanged his boot, the player had stints with teams in Germany, Turkey, France, England and Qatar. His last club side was Hull City in the Premier League.

He is a dual Nigerian-Turkish citizen, having acquired Turkish citizenship as “Muhammet Yavuz” while playing for Süper Lig team Fenerbahçe. He played 75 games for the Super Eagles between 1993 and 2006 and scored 14 goals within the period. He was part of the victorious Nigeria team that won the 19th edition of the AFCON hosted by Tunisia.

Austin Ohaegbu with FIFA reports

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