Jay Jay Okocha names bombshell African GOAT list: Super Eagles legend snubs Eto'o, Mo Salah but picks Drogba

Super Eagles legend Jay Jay Okocha has turned heads with a surprising list of the greatest African footballers of all time, snubbing big names like Samuel Eto’o and Mohamed Salah while naming Didier Drogba among his top five.

In a recent video shared on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the 52-year-old Nigerian icon, celebrated recently by FIFA, CAF, and the Nigerian Football Federation, was asked to name his top five African players.

Okocha’s choices sparked debate, especially given his omission of top stars Eto’o and Salah. Speaking honestly, he said:

“Number one will be George Weah, two, Abedi Pele, three will be Tony Yeboah, number four will be myself. And the last player on my list will be Didier Drogba.”

Notably absent from the list were Eto’o, the Cameroon striker who linked up with Okocha earlier this year at the UEFA Champions League final in Paris, and Mohamed Salah, the Liverpool forward who recently scored his 187th Premier League goal.

Okocha’s selection reflects a mix of African football greats who impacted the game beyond just goal-scoring records, highlighting his personal views and the influence they had on his own career and African football history.

The surprise list has left football fans across the continent stunned and leading to lively discussions on social media, with supporters debating the criteria for the African “GOAT” and the merits of Okocha’s controversial omissions.

“Nigga still hates Eto for all those african best award,” one fan stated, another added “Fun fact he himself is not in top 5 Africa player of all time . Samuel Eto’o far ahead of him.”