Jay Jay Okocha Sets the Record Straight on Claims He Taught Ronaldinho His Magic
- Jay Jay Okocha and Ronaldinho were teammates at PSG, where they were paired in the midfield position
- There is a myth among football fans in Nigeria that Okocha taught the Brazilian superstar some of his incredible skills
- The former Bolton Wanderers' captain has set the record straight as he reflects on their time together in France
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Nigerian football legend Jay Jay Okocha has finally opened up about his relationship with Brazilian football superstar Ronaldinho.
The pair shared the midfield together at the French club Paris Saint-Germain, where they showcased incredible dazzling skills.
PSG splashed around £14 million to sign Okocha shortly after the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and then Ronaldinho arrived three years later.
Source: Getty Images
They played together at the club for one season before the Nigerian football legend departed for England in 2002.
A myth exists among Nigerian football fans that Jay Jay Okocha taught Ronaldinho some incredible skills.
However, the African football legend clarified the situation as he reflected on his influence on the Brazilian midfielder.
Okocha said, as per Brila:
“Well, I don’t know about teaching him tricks. But if you have a similar background, sometimes you do things in training that you don’t know someone is emulating.
"We had a very good relationship, and we still do.
“PSG was his first club out of Brazil as a 20-year-old, so in him, I could see my humble beginnings in Europe.
"He was struggling to adapt; he couldn’t speak the language, and he wasn’t really playing."
The former Fenerbahce midfielder admitted that he played a big-brother role for the incredible talent as soon as he arrived.
What Jay Jay Okocha said about Ronaldinho
He disclosed that Ronaldinho might have taken after some of his skills, but he admitted that the Brazilian was exceptional.
Jay Jay added:
“I took him in and would advise him. All of that worked, and it seemed like I mentored him, but his talent was obvious for everyone to see.
"Maybe he also picked a couple of things from me, but I can also say I admired his talent."
After four seasons in France, Jay Jay moved to England to join Bolton Wanderers, where he became a fan favourite as fans printed shirts with the inscription "Jay-Jay – so good they named him twice", as per SuperSport.
Ronaldinho spent two seasons with PSG before making a sensational move to join Spanish giants Barcelona.
The Catalan club entered the running for Ronaldinho and outbid Manchester United for his signature in a €30 million deal.
Arteta hails Jay Jay Okocha
Legit.ng earlier reported that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta branded Jay-Jay Okocha as an “unbelievable talent”, saying he was one of the best players.
The former Nigerian international star is arguably one of the best players to emerge from Africa.
Despite their limited time together at PSG, Okocha’s influence on the ‘young’ Arteta was profound as the Arsenal boss described the mercurial midfielder as an “unbelievable talent” and one of the best players he has ever shared the pitch with.
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Source: Legit.ng
