………Time could not dim the magic.
Twenty-eight years after he tormented Spain’s defense with dribbling that looked like witchcraft, Super Eagles legend Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha has been honored with a retroactive “Superior Player of the Match” award for Nigeria’s famous 3–2 victory over Spain at France ’98.
The presentation, which has set social media ablaze, corrects what many fans called “football’s biggest oversight.” On June 13, 1998, at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes, a 24-year-old Okocha dribbled past 3 Spanish midfielders, scored, and dictated the tempo as Nigeria came from behind to shock La Roja. Yet the official award that night went to someone else.
In a video posted on Instagram by the legend himself, Okocha is seen unveiling the special commemorative plaque, smiling as he holds the long-overdue recognition. @Jay-Jay Okocha.
“Better late than never,” one fan wrote as clips of Okocha’s mazy run and finish resurfaced worldwide. The award validates what Nigerians knew in 1998: that performance was not just good, it was generational, Okocha finished the tournament with 1 goal, countless nutmegs, and a legacy that inspired a generation of African midfielders.
For a nation that still talks about France ’98 in reverent tones, this retro honor feels like justice served. It’s a reminder that greatness doesn’t expire. Sometimes, it just waits for the world to catch up.
From Lagos street football to global folklore, Jay-Jay’s feet wrote history. Now the record books have finally caught up to the highlight reel.
