“A footballing genius,” Jay Jay Okocha pays tribute to Ronaldinho

The former Nigerian icon, Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha, has said that it was difficult to compare himself to the Brazilian legend, whom he regards as the most talented player he has ever played with.

The former captain of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha, acknowledged that it was delicate to compare him to Ronaldinho, while admitting that the Brazilian legend remains the most talented player he has played alongside.

In an interview given to Clutch 9, the former attacking midfielder reacted to Mikel Arteta’s remarks. The Arsenal manager, who had worked with the two men at Paris Saint-Germain, had recently admitted his inability to decide between them in terms of pure talent.

Okocha, faithful to his frank-spoken style, first recalled his own vision of the game: “I can’t say that anyone is better than me since I took on this role as the benchmark for style,” he said with a mischievous smile, before paying a strong tribute to his former teammate. “Ronaldinho was a football genius. His talent jumped out at you immediately.”

The former Nigerian international also highlighted the natural chemistry that bound them: “He brought something different. We clicked right away because we had the same foundations. We learned to play in the street, for the love of the game, always with a smile.” Before concluding, Okocha downplayed any comparison: “It’s hard to put us face to face. We both had very nice careers, even if his went higher.”