Former Nigeria’s Super Eagles captain, Austin Okocha, believes the biggest difference between Nigerian and South African footballers playing in Europe comes down to ambition and the willingness to step outside comfort zones.
Nigeria has produced many footballers who have succeeded in some of the biggest leagues in the world. From England and Spain to Germany and Italy, Nigerian players are regularly seen performing at the highest level.
One of the most famous examples today is Victor Osimhen. The striker has played for clubs such as Lille, Napoli, and Galatasaray and is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous forwards in world football.
Another Nigerian star making waves is Ademola Lookman, who is currently impressing at Atletico Madrid after previously shining for Atalanta, where he helped the Italian side win the Europa League in 2024.
Nigerian players are also performing across Europe at clubs such as Fulham in the Premier League, Lazio in Serie A, Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, Sevilla in La Liga, and Paris FC in France.
But South African players are less visible in Europe’s top five leagues. Okocha believes this is partly because many of them choose to stay in the comfort of their domestic football environment.
Speaking on Thabisa Mosia’s Game On program on Radio 2000, as per Africa Soccer, the former Super Eagles captain explained the mentality required to succeed abroad.
“First of all, you must have the desire to become the best version of yourself,” Okocha said.
“For you to make a name for yourself globally, you must get out of your comfort zone, and this is the problem.”
The Nigerian legend, who played across Germany, Turkey, France, and England during his career, also spoke about the challenges of adapting to life in a new country.
“It is my opinion that South African players are too comfortable at home,” the former PSG playmaker noted. “That drive is not really there.
“But we Nigerians—we’re very ambitious people. We like to challenge ourselves. Of course, when you come to a country like Germany, you have to try to socialise and understand the culture of the people.
“You have to be willing to learn the language and just learn in general. It’s a lot easier if you have people who mentor you, but it’s also about how you present yourself. If you show that you’re willing to learn, then your stay will be a lot easier.
“My advice is just to be open and make sure you have that hunger and desire to become the best version of yourself,” Okocha said.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
