Jay-Jay Okocha has made his choice between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Nigerian football legend Jay-Jay Okocha recently shared his thoughts on the eternal debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, while also reflecting on his relationship with Ronaldinho during their time together at Paris Saint-Germain.

Appearing on "The Obi One Podcast," hosted by former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, Okocha made his preference crystal clear when asked to name the better player between the Argentine and the Portuguese superstars.

"Messi, Messi. Ronaldo is an exceptional player, but to me, he’s a goalscorer. He could score 10 million goals, he’s a goalscorer. It’s like Haaland, Haaland is a goalscorer too," explained the former Nigerian international.

Okocha then expressed his deep admiration for Lionel Messi, especially highlighting his natural talent and his effortless way of playing the game.

"But Messi, Messi is on another planet. Messi is art. He was born to play football. I think he would get sick if he didn’t play football. He’s a genius," he continued.

For Okocha, the key difference lies in the Argentine’s innate talent.

"When you talk about a naturally gifted player, someone who was born to play football and plays with such ease, without needing to force things, as if the pitch belongs to him, that’s Messi," he declared.

Jay-Jay Okocha shares his memories with Ronaldinho

During the interview, Jay-Jay Okocha also looked back on his relationship with Ronaldinho, with whom he played at PSG. The former Nigerian playmaker explained that their bond was built on mutual admiration rather than any sense of rivalry.

"It was tough for opponents to face us. Just imagine us both at the top of our game! It was incredible. I looked forward to every training session just to watch him play, and he also enjoyed watching me play," Okocha recalled.

He also clarified that they never tried to compete or imitate each other, but simply appreciated each other's unique qualities.

"We didn’t try to imitate each other. We just admired what each of us could bring to the pitch," he added.

Finally, Okocha underlined Ronaldinho’s outstanding talent from his early years in Europe: "He was always smiling. There was never any rivalry. I was simply in awe of his talent."

From Mentor to Superstar: Okocha Reflects on Guiding Ronaldinho at PSG

Mohamed Rek |

Editorfr, ar, en

Mohamed Rek- sports content writer with over 10 years of experience creating football content in Arabic and French for platforms such as Foot Africa and Starafrica, combining accuracy, creativity, and audience engagement.

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