Former Super Eagles skipper Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha has identified Brazilian legend Ronaldinho as the most skilful footballer he ever shared the pitch with.
Okocha made the remark in an interview with Clutch 9 while responding to earlier comments attributed to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, who played alongside both men at Paris Saint-Germain and previously said he could not choose between them in terms of skill.
In addressing the comparison, the ex-PSG midfielder stressed the importance of confidence in his approach to the game, explaining that he never viewed himself as inferior to any rival.
His words: “I can’t say that anybody is better than me since I’ve accepted the title of chief flair officer. He [Ronaldinho] was a genius when it comes to football. Straight away we saw his talent.
“He brought something different, and in a way we clicked, because our foundation was the same. We learnt how to play on the street; we were playing because we loved the game, and with smiles on our faces. It’s difficult to compare both of us because we had a good career, even though he took it higher.”
When pressed to name the most skilful player he ever played with, the former Bolton Wanderers midfielder gave a clear answer.
“Without any doubt, Ronaldinho,” he said when asked who the most skilful player he played with was.”
Okocha went on to explain that Ronaldinho’s uniqueness lay in a natural unpredictability that closely resembled his own style of play.
He said, “I could see a bit of me in him; I could see that unpredictability. You don’t know what to expect when he gets the ball, and that was my strength too. Playing together, without communicating, we knew what we were going to do and how to ask for the ball, and I think that natural instinct is what you can’t learn or teach any kid, and that’s what I saw in him.”
The 52-year-old also reflected on his mentality during his career, insisting that he never feared any opponent.
He said, “It might sound arrogant, but nobody.
“My strength is when I’ve got the ball, and I have so much confidence that I know whenever I get the ball, I decide what happens, not the opponent. You can be as tough as you can be, but you can’t decide what I can do when I have the ball.
“So, you can only be lucky to guess right, and that’s what helped me because I wasn’t scared of trying things, of playing the game my way but for the team. I never think about who I’m coming up next to, but the club I’m coming up next to. Of course, you have to respect the defenders, who you’re coming up against, because his strength might be defending, but my strength is attacking. If I can’t challenge him when it comes to defending, I don’t expect him to challenge me when it comes to attacking.”
Okocha also described the English Premier League as the toughest competition he played in from a physical standpoint.
“The Premier League, because it’s a brutal league because it’s quite demanding. In some leagues, you might get away with being 70 per cent fit, but in the Premier League, if you’re not fit, you will be exposed because the pace is something else.”