Nigeria’s Super Eagles legend, Augustine “Jay-Jay” Okocha, has been presented with a special retroactive “Superior Player of the Match” award for his display in Nigeria’s 3–2 victory over Spain at the 1998 FIFA World Cup twenty-eight years after.
On June 13, 1998, at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes, a 24-year-old Okocha dribbled past three Spanish midfielders and dictated the tempo as Nigeria came from behind to shock La Roja.
In a video shared on his Instagram page on Thursday, the 52-year-old Okocha unveiled the silver trophy from a custom case.
“Hello, this is JJ Okocha. I’m about to unveil this special award being given to me by FIFA,” he said in the clip.
“It was given to me for winning the Superior Man of the Match in a World Cup game, Nigeria versus Spain, 1998.
“Special thank you to Michelob ULTRA and Copa90 for this amazing recognition. I’m so honored to receive it,” he added.
The award forms part of a collaborative initiative by Michelob ULTRA and football content platform Copa90 to retrospectively honor standout performances from World Cups before the official Player of the Match award was introduced in 2002.
The organisers said they combed through archives to recognise deserving players across hundreds of matches.
Although he did not score, the midfielder’s dribbling, vision, and creativity unsettled the Spanish defence, which featured players such as Fernando Hierro and Raúl.
Nigeria came from behind to secure a famous 3–2 victory, with goals from Mutiu Adepoju, an own goal, and a long-range strike from Sunday Oliseh.
The result helped the Super Eagles top their group, though they were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Denmark.
Okocha’s performance that day further cemented his status as one of Africa’s most gifted footballers and a global entertainer.
This latest honor comes as the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, commences, though the Super Eagles failed to qualify.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
