Ace Nigerian footballer who did the nation proud in his prime till his retirement Augustine Azuka Okocha, popularly known as Jay-Jay Okocha is somewhat mesmerized about Lionel Messi’s pay and wishes he came later than he did in the profession.
Jay Jay Okocha’s magical display lured many Nigerian fans to French League in his playing days. In 1998, the Nigerian set a transfer record when he left Fenerbahce in Turkey to PSG in France on a fee of £12.4 million, which was the highest by an African player at that time. He left PSG for Bolton Wonderers in England in 2002 on a free transfer.
Messi, on the other hand, finally left Barcelona to pitch his tent with the French giant, PSG on a £1m weekly pay. This is coming after more than 20 years, 778 games, 672 goals, 35 trophies, including 10 La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues and numerous personal records and honours in Barcelona.
Speaking with The Guardian in a telephone chat soon after the news of Messi’s big pay broke out, Okocha said that his time as a footballer came too early. “I came too early and Messi came at the right time”, he reportedly said. “If I was paid such amount of money in my playing days, maybe I would have stayed back in France forever. I wouldn’t have thought of coming to Nigeria”, he reportedly added.
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