Jay-Jay Okocha Opens Up on Untold Truth About His Football Career

Jay-Jay Okocha Opens Up on the Harsh Realities of Football Life During and After Retirement

Former Super Eagles legend Jay-Jay Okocha has shed light on the realities of a footballer’s life both during their active years and after retirement.

Speaking on a long-form podcast, Okocha noted that football, while glamorous, is ultimately a short career with no pension. Many players, he said, struggle to maintain their lifestyle once the fame and perks fade, with some even unable to pay hospital bills in retirement.

“I realised at 23 that real life begins after retirement, when the glamour and free perks end,” Okocha said. “It hit me when I bought my first property in Nigeria and later in England. The rental income wasn’t much compared to what I earned as a player. I understood I needed to invest wisely, stay focused, and avoid greed. That’s why I never went into businesses I didn’t understand.”

The former midfielder revealed that safe investments, particularly in property, sustained him after football. Unlike many of his peers, he avoided risky ventures that often leave players bankrupt.

Okocha, widely regarded as one of the most skillful midfielders in Nigerian football history, remains one of the most celebrated Super Eagles players of all time.

👉 Watch the full interview with Jay-Jay Okocha [here].

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Jay Jay Okocha: The Money Lessons, Highs & Lows Behind Africa’s Greatest Football Magician

Augustine "Jay-Jay" Okocha is not only one of Nigeria’s greatest ever footballers — he’s one of Africa’s most gifted to ever grace the game. From dazzling stepovers in Frankfurt and PSG, to battling legends like Keane, Viera, and Gerrard in the English Premier League, Okocha carved a place in football history. But behind the flair lies the untold story: the pressures of fame, the silence after retirement, and the hard financial lessons every African player must learn. In this exclusive episode of The Long Form, recorded in Kigali at the SportsBiz Africa Forum, we dive into Okocha’s career highs and lows, his views on Rwanda’s progress, the future of African football, and what legacy he hopes to leave behind. Listen to the Long Form with Sanny Ntayombya podcast on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/rw/podcast/the-long-form-with-sanny-ntayombya/id1669879621 Listen to the Long Form with Sanny Ntayombya podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7HkkUi4bUyIeYktQhWOljc Timecodes: 0:00 – Intro: Previews 1:36 – The Long Form Theme Song 2:20 – Who is Jay-Jay Okocha? 2:55 – Join the Long Form Community 3:22 – Why attend SportsBiz Africa in Rwanda? 6:05 – Why Investors See Opportunity in African Football 8:41 – Rwanda’s Remarkable Transformation 10:13 – What Nigeria Can Learn from Rwanda 11:18 – When did People Take How Okocha Played Football Seriously? 13:14 – Adapting to German Football as an African 15:39 – Life in Germany: Food, Culture & Racism 20:31 – Football Was My Comfort Zone, Not My Career 23:29 – My First Contract: Saving, Pay Raises & Agents 31:17 – Premier League’s Golden Era (and My Role In It) 35:33 – Choosing Happiness Over Money at Bolton 39:36 – The Highs & Lows of My Football Journey 46:27 – Managing My Football Millions 58:53 – Why Athletes Should Lead African Sports Federations 1:04:06 – African Football Has Lost Its Flair 1:10:33 – Closing Remarks: Love For Football, Meeting President Kagame, a Message To The Youth 1:16:05 – Thank You for Watching 1:16:37 – Venue Partner: Kigali Marriott Hotel 1:17:04 – Credits Follow Long Form with Sanny Ntayombya on Twitter: https://x.com/TheLongFormRw Follow Long Form with Sanny Ntayombya on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelongformrw/ Follow Long Form with Sanny Ntayombya on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@longformrw Follow Sanny Ntayombya on Twitter: https://x.com/SannyNtayombya About Long Form with Sanny Ntayombya: The Long Form with Sanny Ntayombya is a weekly podcast intent on keeping you up to date with current affairs in Rwanda. The topics discussed range from politics, business, sports to entertainment. If you want to share your thoughts on the topics I discuss use the hashtag #LongFormRw on Twitter and follow us on Twitter and Instagram on our handle @TheLongFormRw Be a part of the conversation.