Jay-Jay Okocha is a talented and skillful former Nigerian footballer whose net worth is $15 million. He is a global figure in football and has contributed his quota to some of the best times the Nigerian National Team has had.
The distinguished player has been a valued asset at the national football and international level while also making a good name for himself with the many well-known clubs he played for while still an active player. The former attacking midfielder is mostly known for his dribbling skills and was rated among the best midfielders of all time until his retirement in 2008 at the young age of 34.
Okocha groomed outstanding skills in football from his younger years when he played with makeshift balls on the streets with his friends. It eventually became apparent that his skills no doubt runs in the blood as his elder brother Emmanuel Okocha also played in the Nigerian national team and other football clubs. His other brother James Okocha was also a footballer but could not go very far due to severe injuries. The name Jay-Jay was first used by his other brother Emma Jay-Jay, but Okocha would eventually become more known for the name.
The retired footballer is currently living a good life which is no doubt thanks to his good investments and the money he made from his active years as a player. With the flourishing business ventures he moved on to after he retired and the endorsement deals that come his way from time to time, his net worth has been very self-sufficient and is definitely still on the rise.
How Jay-Jay Okocha Made His $15 Million Net Worth
As of 2021, Jay-Jay Okocha’s net worth is estimated to be about $15 million. Though he laid the foundation for his wealth through his football career, he also has robust endorsements with famous brands and business ventures which contribute a tidy sum to what he currently earns from his numerous business ventures. Below is a list of the football clubs that helped his net worth grow:
His Career Began With The Enugu Rangers Football Club
Jay-Jay Okocha joined Enugu Rangers in 1990 and displayed outstanding skills that set him a head and shoulders above other players in the club at the time. His exceptional skills made him even more popular when he scored against professional goalkeeper Willy Okpara in a friendly match with Benue Cement Company Football Club (BBC Lions F.C). His exact earnings when he played with the Enugu Rangers football club are unknown, but the exposure he got there served as a good stepping stone for his career advancement.
Borussia Neunkirchen Was His First international Club
On a holiday to West Germany to watch a German league, Okocha met an old friend Binebi Numa who invited him to Borussia Neunkirchen’s training session for the third division which was where he played at the time. His display impressed the coach who invited him for another round of training that eventually led to his very first football contract with the club. Details of the pay he received for that contract are still sketchy as it was not made open. Jay-Jay Okocha’s time with the club very successfully came to 35 appearances during which he scored a total of seven goals.
He Spent A Little Time at FC Saarbrucken
The football star made a move and joined FC Saarbrucken after spending only one year at Borussia Neunkirchen. He played for the club for few months in the 2. Bundesliga before he was moved to the 1. Bundesliga to play with Eintracht Frankfurt. Though he spent few months in the club, his outstanding skills still spoke loud for him. The football star never disclosed his earnings with the club.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Jay-Jay Okocha joined Eintracht Frankfurt in 1992. His exceptional dribbling football skills in the penalty box and goal scored against Karlsruher SC made him stand out and equally ranked his goal as the most voted Goal of the season by magazines and Goal of the year by viewers. During his stay in the football club, he made 90 appearances, scoring 16 goals. He had a serious disagreement with his football club manager Jupp Heynckes, which resulted in his exit from the club alongside Yeboah and Gaudino. His remuneration in the football club has, however, remained undisclosed by the soccer star.
Fenerbahce
Being an outstanding player, Jay-Jay Okocha found himself in the Turkish club Fenerbahce in 1996 on a contract worth £1 million. He spent two years with the club and made 62 appearances, scoring 30 goals, mostly from a free-kick. The soccer star became famous for his special style of getting the ball inside the net on free kicks. He was given Turkish citizenship and was also given the Turkish name Muhammed Yavuz.
Paris Saint–Germain
In 1998, Jay-Jay Okocha struck a huge contract of £14 million from a globally recognized club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). At this point, he became the highest-paid professional footballer from Africa. His outstanding skills motivated his football colleagues in the club, which made the soccer star Ronaldinho value Okocha beyond any other midfielder and looked up to him as a mentor. He made 84 appearances and scored 12 goals within the four years that he spent in the club.
The Soccer Legend Was Worth £2.5 Million In Bolton Wanderers
On completing his football contract with PSG, Jay-Jay Okocha joined Bolton Wanderers on a free transfer in 2002 signing a four-year contract worth £2.5m. Even though his new club paid lower than his former club, he still ranked as the highest paid in the history of Bolton Wanderers. Though he had injuries, his debut in the club made him the most loved player by fans of the club, which made them customize all their jerseys with the name Jay-Jay.
In a match with West Ham, United the football guru scored a goal that was rated Goal of the Season and Bolton’s Best Goal in Premier League by the fans in 2008. The attacking midfielder led the football club to their first cup final after nine years as a captain and finished as the runners-up in the 2004 football league cup, losing to Middlesbrough. The footballer contributed drastically in taking the club off relegation, scoring 14 goals in 124 appearances. He refused a one-year extension in the club, moving on to an Asian club in 2006.
Qatar SC
Jay-Jay joined the Qatar SC in 2006 on completing his football contract with the Bolton Wanderers. Though he played for one season in the club, he made 41 appearances and scored 6 goals. His remuneration when he played for the club has been undisclosed by the football star.
Hull City
Jay-Jay Okocha was signed into Hull City football club on a free transfer in 2007, giving him a value of €4.25 million. The skillful footballer was battling with injuries and lack of fitness, which made him lay the curtain down and retired from football officially. Within his active time in the Hull City football club, he made 18 appearances on the field and scored no goals.
Highlights Of Okocha’s Football Club Earnings
- Paris Saint-Germain- £14 million
- Hull City 2007-2008 earned €4.25million
- Bolton Wanderers 2002-2006 earned €2.5m
- Qatar SC
- Borussia Neunkirchen
- Eintracht Frankfurt
- Fenerbahce
- Enugu Rangers Football Club
Jay-Jay Okocha’s International Football Career
Jay-Jay Okocha is not just known for the various football clubs that he has played with, he is also known for representing Nigeria at international levels with his creativity, dribbling skills, proper control of the ball, and magic with the ball. The football star made his first appearance with the Nigerian Super Eagles in the 2-1 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifier in which the Super Eagles lost to Ivory Coast in May 1993. His trickery with the ball was seen in the 4-1 win match against Algeria where he scored a goal with a direct free-kick, which made the team qualify for the first World Cup. His outstanding skills made him a member of the winning team of the 19th edition of the African Cup of Nations in 1994 which they made to the second round before losing to Italy.
Jay-Jay was a part of the Nigerian gold-winning team in the 1996 Olympic games held in Atlanta. Their success gave them the name the Dream Team by the Nigerian press. In 1998, he made another appearance with the Nigerian Super Eagles in the FIFA World Cup hosted by France and scored a goal which gave them a 3-2 win against Spain and making it to round 16.
His skills gave him a standing ovation from a crowd of over 60,000 people in the African Cup of Nations which Nigeria hosted with Ghana in 2000, where he scored three goals of which two were against Tunisia. The legend played alongside his co-Super Eagle stars such as Daniel Amokachi, Aloysius Agu, Sulley Muntari, Benjani in an African select side in Warri winning their opponent with a 2-1 of which Jay-Jay scored a goal in the second half. His outstanding skills have been notable in the Nigerian Super Eagles football team till his retirement which ranked him in the top 125 living footballers in March 2004 by Pele. He made 75 appearances and scored 14 goals on the Nigerian football team.
The Soccer Star Worked as 2018 FIFA World Cup Analyst
Having made a name for himself in his football career and gained respect from colleagues and fans, Jay-Jay Okocha was appointed as the Delta State Football Association chairman in 2015. He got the appointment in a landslide victory after winning 26 out of the 27 votes cast.
In 2018, he was appointed as the head of NFF Technical Study Group by the president of the National Football Federation Amaju Pinnick. The study center of which the football star was to head was set up to nurture young footballers.
Having been in the game of football for 18 years and made lots of impacts, Jay-Jay Okocha has remained relevant in international football affairs. He worked as a FIFA analyst in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
His Endorsement Deals
Since retirement, this football legend’s skills, great impacts in the field, and large fanbase, still speaks volumes. He has had his pick with endorsement deals. The following are some of the brands he’s been associated with:
- Brand ambassador of New Age Charger- 2014
- Brand Ambassador of Bullet Energy Drink- 2014
- Brand Ambassador of BetkKing- 2018
- Bajaj Auto Brand Ambassador- 2020
- Brand Ambassador of Kwik Delivery- 2021
- Brand Ambassador of Xiaomi- 2021
Jay-Jay Okocha Earns A Lot From His Business Empire
It has been seen that many footballers across the world that made it to the professional level of football had a temporal taste of a flamboyant lifestyle and ended up bankrupt. Jay-Jay Okocha is one Nigerian footballer who planned his retirement well to avoid going bankrupt after his football career. He invested in so many businesses that currently contribute a tidy sum to his net worth.
He currently controls a large business empire known as Jay-Jay Okocha Group West Africa Limited, active since 2008. The business empire has many subsidiaries that operate under it, including a restaurant, bar, Bureau de Change, imports of consumer products such as wines and cars, and security business such as security personnel and equipment. The company is vast as it is also into road construction, property development, electronics sales and distribution, and football management. The football legend cum businessman is fully active in the day-to-day administration of these businesses.
The Nigerian Native Faced Money Laundering Charges In Scotland
The Former footballer faced two money laundering charges brought against him by the Scottish police under the Proceeds of Crime Act for allegedly acquiring, being in possession of, and transferring criminal property. The second charge was related to alleged concealing, disguising, converting, and transferring criminal property. Both charges were alleged to have happened in the northeast of Scotland in the year 2015, However, the charges against him were brought up two years later in 2017 when the investigation into the matter had been concluded.
At the closed-door court hearing which took place in Aberdeen Sheriff Court, the former footballer made no plea. The case was then adjourned with no specific date for further investigations to be made. In March 2020, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service decided to withdraw the charges against the Okocha.
