Nigerian football legend Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha has revealed the story behind the famous nickname that became synonymous with his illustrious football career.
Okocha explained that the name originated from the neighbourhood where he grew up, where football was a common pastime among children in the community.
According to the former Super Eagles captain, he and his two brothers were all footballers and often played together on the streets.
“It started in the neighbourhood where we grew up; all of us were footballers, we were just on the street playing, and my two brothers played as well,” Okocha said.
He explained that because several family members were named Austin, the nickname was initially used to distinguish him from his brothers.
“We had few Austins then, to identify which Austin’s Jay Jay brother, from there, Austin Jay Jay, stuck,” he added.
The nickname later became even more useful when Okocha travelled abroad and people struggled to pronounce his given name, Augustine.
“So when I travelled, some people were struggling to pronounce my name Augustin, so Jay Jay was a lot easier, so I decided to adopt the name, and I put in my passport,” he said.
The name would eventually become his football identity, with Okocha earning global recognition for his exceptional dribbling ability, creativity and flair during a career that saw him play for clubs including Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahce, Paris Saint-Germain, Bolton Wanderers and Qatar SC.
In a humorous reference to the origin of the nickname, Okocha added: “I still pay royalties to my brother.”
The nickname “Jay-Jay” ultimately became one of the most recognisable names in African football, with Okocha regarded as one of Nigeria’s greatest-ever players.
Vanguard News
The post ‘I still pay royalties to my brother for taking his name’ —Jay Jay Okocha appeared first on Vanguard News.