Why I Never Won African Player Of The Year Award – Okocha

Iconic Nigerian football star Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha has shed light on the reasons behind his failure to capture the coveted African Player of the Year title throughout his stellar professional journey.

During an appearance on the ObiOne podcast, Okocha addressed inquiries regarding whether his lack of tenure at a premier European powerhouse club hindered his bid for the major individual honor.

The former leader of the Super Eagles pushed back against the notion, maintaining that belonging to an elite club was not the core factor behind his omission.

“No, no, no, not really. Not really,” Okocha said.

Nonetheless, he acknowledged that administrative maneuvering and sports politics likely shaped election outcomes during his active era.

“I mean, I can openly say now that then, of course, a lot of football politics was in place, you know,” he said.

“Because some people, some players, they played in big clubs, they won everything but…” he added.

Drawing attention to his back-to-back victories at the BBC African Footballer of the Year event, the playmaker questioned the benchmark used by evaluators.

“Well, I won everything, yeah. So what do you need to win to, you know, what are the criteria?” he asked.

“You know, I won BBC Player of the Year twice in a row, but I still didn’t win it,” he said.

Reflecting on falling short of the continental prize, Okocha expressed a sense of philosophical acceptance regarding outcomes beyond one’s control.

“So when you look at it, some things are not meant to be,” he said.

To Okocha, a player’s legacy is ultimately defined by personal fulfillment and overall career impact rather than specific individual trophies.

“And you just, the most important thing is, what did you make of your career? What did you get out of your career, you know?” he added.

Okocha maintains his status as one of the continent’s most celebrated and celebrated talents, having showcased his skills for high-profile squads such as Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahçe, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bolton Wanderers.