'They will collect' - Jay Jay Okocha says AFCON 2025 Super Eagles can't touch Nigeria's Olympic legends

Nigerian icon Austin Jay Jay Okocha sparks heated debate by claiming current squad would lose badly to 1996 Olympic gold-winning team

Jay Jay Okocha just ignited the most passionate football debate Nigeria has seen in years. The legendary midfielder delivered a brutally honest assessment that has split the nation down the middle, claiming the current AFCON 2025 Super Eagles squad would suffer defeat against the team that captured Olympic gold in Atlanta nearly three decades ago.

Speaking in a video shared on X, Okocha showed zero hesitation when asked who would win a hypothetical match between his 1996 Olympic team and today's Super Eagles. His response was blunt and uncompromising, displaying the confidence that made him one of Africa's greatest ever players.

The former Bolton Wanderers and Paris Saint-Germain star didn't just predict victory for his generation, he suggested it wouldn't even be competitive. 

When his nephew Alex Iwobi was mentioned as part of the current squad, Okocha dismissed the notion with a wave, reinforcing his belief that the gap between the two eras remains massive.

The 52-year-old then listed the firepower his Olympic team possessed, rattling off names that still command reverence across Nigerian football. Rashidi Yekini, the nation's all-time leading goalscorer. Sunday Oliseh, the midfield general.

Nwankwo Kanu, who would go on to conquer Europe. Daniel Amokachi, the goal machine. Taribo West, the defensive rock. And Okocha himself, though characteristically, refused to discuss his own brilliance.

That 1996 squad achieved something no African team had accomplished before or since, Olympic gold in football. They defeated Argentina, Brazil's conquerors, in a semifinal thriller before claiming the ultimate prize. 

The chemistry, technical ability, and mental toughness of that generation created a standard many believe remains unmatched in Nigerian football history.

However, Okocha's dismissal of the current generation has sparked fierce pushback from fans who believe Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and their teammates deserve more respect. 

"No chance. We will get it, it's how many they will collect."

When his nephew Alex Iwobi was mentioned: "Abegi."

"We're talking of Yekini, Sunday Oliseh, Nwankwo Kanu, Amokachi, Taribo West. I don't want to even talk about myself. These boys are learners."

This Super Eagles squad boasts players competing at the highest levels in Europe, with firepower that terrorises defenses across the continent. The debate between legacy and present ability has Nigerian social media ablaze.

Whether you agree with Okocha or not, his provocative statement ensures one thing, everyone will be watching when the Super Eagles take the field in Morocco, perhaps with extra motivation to prove the legend wrong.