Jay-Jay Okocha is a famous player in Premier League history, known for his amazing skills during his time at Bolton Wanderers.
He grew up in Enugu, Nigeria, where he faced many challenges. In a new video for the No Room For Racism initiative, he talks about how his early life shaped his greatness. “I believe my greatness comes from my childhood,” Okocha says. “I had nothing, and I knew that failing was not an option.
“My family was just like many other African families, trying to get by. My dad worked on the railways. A football was the only toy we had. We played barefoot and I didn’t get my first pair of football shoes until I was 12. They were uncomfortable, but I had to get used to them.
“Playing football was what we loved, and we never thought it could become our careers. In Enugu, there was one big team, Enugu Rangers, and we all dreamed of playing for them because very few Nigerians played abroad. We didn’t know much about the Premier League; our dreams were simple.”
A Desire to Succeed
Okocha quickly achieved his dream of playing for Enugu Rangers and soon got a chance to play in Germany, starting with Borussia Neunkirchen and then moving to Eintracht Frankfurt in 1992.
“My strength was my desire to survive,” he explains. “I had to leave my family and go to a new country where I didn’t speak the language or understand the culture. I learned everything the hard way, without anyone to help me.
“This was the opportunity I had been waiting for, and I knew I had to make the most of it. On the pitch, I felt free to express myself, which was a gift from my upbringing.”
After Germany, Okocha played for Fenerbahce and Paris Saint-Germain. He even represented Nigeria in the 2002 FIFA World Cup against England. That same summer, he joined Bolton Wanderers, where he played for four seasons in the Premier League, scoring 14 goals and making 11 assists in 124 matches.
“It means everything to me to pave the way for the next generation,” Okocha says. “As an African playing in Europe, I knew I was not just playing for myself, but for my whole continent. I wanted to make a good impression so that future kids would get their chances.
“Looking back, I feel proud. I believe I have left my mark.”