Super Eagles legend Austin “Jay Jay” Okocha recently ignited a heated debate on social media after revealing his personal list of the top five African footballers of all time, Footynaija.com reports.
Speaking candidly, Okocha ranked George Weah as number one, followed by Abedi Pele, Tony Yeboah, himself at number four, and Didier Drogba rounding out the list.
However, one name that many expected to see was that of Cameroonian icon Samuel Eto’o but the former Inter Milan forward was conspicuously omitted, prompting a wave of reactions from fans on X.
Some users were quick to express their disagreement. One X user wrote, “Fun fact he himself is not in top 5 Africa player of all time. Samuel Eto’o far ahead of him.”
Another user highlighted the absence of fellow Nigerian stars, commenting, “No fellow Igbo man Kanu o. No fellow Nigerian Kanu o. Why we Dey do ourselves and country like this!!!!???”
Critics of Okocha’s selections also pointed to the legendary achievements of Eto’o as one user tweeted: “Okocha with Zero ball knowledge. Eto is literally above the names he mentioned.”
Meanwhile, another user, coming to Okocha’s defense simply stated, “You people in this comment section have big problem o. It’s his choice and you’re ranting? You too make your choice, you’re free.”
Okocha’s list, while reflective of his personal preferences, has reignited discussions over Africa’s footballing hierarchy. Fans on X are divided, debating whether Okocha’s choices reflect talent, personal bias, or generational perspective.
One thing remains clear: the conversation about the continent’s greatest footballers is far from over, and legends like Eto’o continue to command immense respect from fans across Africa.