Manchester United Legend Picks Better Dribbler Between Jay Jay Okocha and Neymar
- Austin Jay Jay Okocha’s dribbling skills have been compared to that of former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Neymar
- The former Nigeria captain is regarded as one of the best dribblers in football during his playing career
- Okocha starred for teams like Fenerbahce, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bolton during the peak of his football career
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Austin Jay-Jay Okocha’s dribbling skills have never been in doubt as the former Nigerian captain is regarded as one of the most talented footballers from Africa.
The retired midfielder had a fantastic career playing for some of Europe’s biggest clubs including Paris Saint-Germain, Fenerbahce, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Bolton Wanderers.
In 2012, Bleacher Report rated Okocha as one of the greatest dribblers of all time due to the Nigerian midfielder’s range of passing and ability to create chances for his teammates.
The former PSG star also holds the record for the most dribbles attempted at the 1994 FIFA World Cup after he made a total of 15 successful dribbles against Italy in a Round of 16 match.
Okocha was a major influence on the playing style of several other footballers across the globe, including German playmaker Mesut Ozil as well as Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho and Rio Ferdinand backed it up with proof.
Ferdinand rates Okocha better than Neymar
Meanwhile, former Manchester United defender Ferdinand has picked the trickery of Okocha above the skills of Neymar when asked to build his ideal footballer, Soccernet reports.
“We used to watch Jay Jay Okocha’s videos, and everyone wanted to play like him. It was great seeing him in the Premier League after making his name with Eintracht Frankfurt and PSG.
“Nigerian players of that era—Okocha, Oliseh, Kanu—had a huge influence on black players worldwide,” Ferdinand uttered.
Okocha also had a successful international career with the Super Eagles, winning the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria and the 1996 Olympic Gold medal with the Dream Team
Ronaldinho hails Okocha’s football skills
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Ronaldinho has hailed Okocha as the ‘Lord of dribbles’ but sadly admitted his former teammate did not reach the peak of his footballing prowess.
The pair shared the dressing room at PSG during Ronaldinho’s early years at the French club where he learnt a few skills from the mercurial Nigerian midfielder.
Okocha would later join Bolton in England while Ronaldinho reached the echelon of football when he left France to join Barcelona.
Source: Legit.ng