Burna Boy named Jay-Jay Okocha the greatest footballer of all time during an ESPN interview.
He said he was “not doing that Ronaldo and Messi stuff” when discussing football’s GOAT.
The singer also picked Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Kobbie Mainoo and Manchester United in other football categories.
Grammy-winning Afrobeats star Burna Boy has declared Nigerian football legend Jay-Jay Okocha the greatest footballer of all time, dismissing the longstanding Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo debate in the process.
The singer made the declaration during a rapid-fire interview with ESPN UK, where he was asked to name his picks across different football categories.
When asked for the best playmaker, Burna Boy named the celebrated footballer. “Best playmaker is Jay-Jay Okocha,” he said.
He went further, naming the former Super Eagles captain as the best African player of all time before giving him the ultimate honour when asked about the greatest player in football history.
”I’ll say Jay-Jay Okocha. See, it’s between him and like, who else? Pelé. I’m not doing that Ronaldo and Messi stuff,” he declared.
The response has drawn widespread reactions online, with many Nigerians rallying behind the pick while football fans from other parts of the world questioned the omission of the two most decorated players of the modern era.
Burna Boy’s football opinions extended beyond Okocha. He named England striker Harry Kane as the best-ever striker and picked Spanish teenager Lamine Yamal as the best young player in the game currently.
He added Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo as a personal favourite, naming him his favourite player at the club and citing his allegiance to United as the reason for the pick.
On the best football club, he went with Manchester United.
For the best football song, he named his recently released feature with Shakira, Dai Dai, and when asked about the best sporting event to perform at, his answer was, “FIFA World Cup.”
Augustine Azuka Okocha, popularly known as Jay-Jay, is widely regarded as one of the most gifted footballers Nigeria and Africa has ever produced. Known for his extraordinary dribbling ability, skill and flair, he captained the Super Eagles and enjoyed a career that included spells at Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahce, Paris Saint-Germain, Bolton Wanderers and Hull City.
He represented Nigeria at multiple Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and the FIFA World Cup, and remains a beloved figure in Nigerian football history decades after his retirement.
‘I’m not doing that Ronaldo and Messi stuff’ — Burna Boy names Okocha football’s greatest ever
