I wish we played together — Jay Jay Okocha reveals dream teammate

The Nigerian legend, widely regarded as one of the continent’s most skilful players, explained that creative talents like himself thrive when they have teammates willing to handle the less glamorous defensive duties.

“There are a few players like me who need somebody to do the dirty job for them,” Okocha said in an interview with Goal Africa.

He recalled the pleasure of sharing a pitch with Sunday Oliseh, the combative Nigerian midfielder known for his tireless work rate and tackling.

Oliseh often provided the platform that allowed Okocha’s flair and vision to flourish for the Super Eagles.

Looking beyond those he did play with, Okocha singled out two West African greats he would have loved as partners: Michael Essien and Yaya Touré.

“I would have also loved to play with Michael Essien and Yaya Touré,” he revealed.

“For me, Yaya Touré was a complete midfield player, not just in an offensive sense. He also pressed and did a lot of defensive work, although he didn’t tackle like Essien or even Oliseh.”

Okocha’s comments underline the value he places on balanced midfield partnerships.

While Essien’s relentless energy and Touré’s all-round excellence would have complemented his creativity perfectly, the former Bolton star remains grateful for the partnership he enjoyed with Oliseh.