Augustine Azuka “Jay-Jay” Okocha has disclosed why he is of the notion that Lionel Messi is a greater footballer than Cristiano Ronaldo.
Jay Jay Okocha Selects His “GOAT” Between Lionel Messi And Cristiano Ronaldo
The football icon shared that the pair are both great footballers, tagging them in the famed acronym “GOATs”, but his “personal GOAT” is Messi.
Okocha went ahead to reveal why he has sided with Lionel Messi in the GOAT conversation, expressing that the Argentine is “more natural” to him.
Jay Jay Okocha made this known during a recent interview with Pulse Nigeria, where he was quoted as saying: “They are both GOATs but my personal GOAT is Messi because he looks more natural to me.”
Lionel Messi And Cristiano Ronaldo
The never-ending debate over who the greater footballer is between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi is still present despite the pair being in the twilight of their respective careers.
Messi and Ronaldo accentuated their brilliance at the top level for about 2 decades, and the magnificence they showed in the round leather game brought them a huge fan base, who are often at loggerheads.
The two players have shared 13 Ballon d’Or awards between them, with Lionel Messi claiming 8 of those honors, while Cristiano Ronaldo has won 5.
Interestingly, the duo were left out of this year’s nominations for the Ballon d’Or, in what could be signifying the end of an era.
Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese currently plies his trade with Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr, having joined the club on a free transfer in January 2023.
Ronaldo is still breaking and setting records in football, with the former Manchester United player recently clocking his 900th career goal, which he has subsequently extended to 901 goals.
He has his eyes on reaching a mind-boggling 1000th career goal tally and it will be fascinating to see if he will achieve that feat.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi currently plays for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, having joined the club in the summer of 2023, following the expiration of his contract with Paris Saint Germain.
The Argentine recently returned from an injury layoff and he made an instant impact on his first game back with the Herons.
Messi contributed 2 goals and provided 1 assist as Inter Miami defeated Philadelphia Union 3-1 at the Chase Stadium.
Lionel Messi has netted a cumulative 840 goals for club and country and he isn’t ready to stop delineating his brilliance.
When will Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi Retire From Football?
It is unknown when they are going to call time on their respective football careers, but they continue to receive massive respect and adulation from fans across the globe.
Augustine Jay Jay Okocha
Meanwhile, Jay Jay Okocha, who played for Lionel Messi’s erstwhile club Paris Saint Germain and in the league Cristiano Ronaldo has previously played, Premier League, is regarded as one of the greatest footballers from Africa.
Okocha represented several teams during his career, including Hull City, Bolton Wanderers, Paris Saint Germain, and Fenerbahçe.
His Personal Information?
Augustine Jay Jay Okocha was born on August 14, 1973, in Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria, to Mr. and Mrs. Azuka Okocha.
Okocha has an elder brother, Emmanuel, who is also a former footballer, and he represented clubs like Enugu Rangers, VfB Marburg, and SV Wehen.
Jay Jay Okocha has a nephew, Alex Iwobi, who plays for Premier League side Fulham and the Nigeria national football team.
Jay Jay Okocha Wife
Okocha is currently married to stunning wife Nkechi Okocha, with the pair tying the knot in 1997, and they have 2 children together: a girl, Daniella Okocha, born on June 25, 1998, and a boy, A-Jay Okocha, born in 2002.
Jay Jay Okocha’s Net Worth?
His net worth is estimated to be between the region of $13 million – $17 million.
His Career Stats?
Augustine “Jay Jay” Okocha made 494 club career appearances, scoring 101 goals and providing 59 assists in all competitions.
Internationally, Okocha made 61 appearances for Nigeria, scoring 13 goals and providing 2 assists.