Nigerian football legend Augustine “Jay-Jay” Okocha has paid tribute to two Ghanaian icons, Abedi Ayew “Pele” and Tony Yeboah, by including them in his list of the five greatest African players of all time.

Speaking on his top picks, Okocha placed Liberia’s George Weah at the very top, describing the 1995 Ballon d’Or winner as the ultimate African footballer. Abedi Pele, revered for his elegance and leadership, followed in second place, with Yeboah, Ghana’s prolific striker of the 1990s, in third.

Okocha ranked himself fourth before rounding off the list with Ivorian great Didier Drogba in fifth.

The former Nigerian captain, who turned 52 this month, is himself one of Africa’s most celebrated players. He won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and Olympic gold at the 1996 Atlanta Games, while enjoying a glittering club career with Frankfurt, Fenerbahçe, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bolton Wanderers. At PSG, he famously mentored a young Ronaldinho.

Abedi Pele and Yeboah both formed part of Ghana’s “Golden Generation” in the early 1990s.


  • Abedi Pele: Played a crucial role for Marseille to UEFA Champions League glory in 1993, and won the African Footballer of the Year award three times (1991, 1992, 1993).


  • Tony Yeboah: Twice Bundesliga top scorer (1993, 1994) with Eintracht Frankfurt, before becoming a cult hero at Leeds United, where he was named Player of the Year in 1996.

George Weah, who tops Okocha’s list, remains the only African to win the FIFA Ballon d’Or. He starred for AS Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, and AC Milan before later spells with Chelsea and Manchester City.

Didier Drogba, remembered as one of Africa’s greatest leaders and clutch performers, cemented his place in history with Chelsea, where he scored decisive goals in multiple finals, including the 2012 UEFA Champions League.

">https://twitter.com/OneJoblessBoy/status/1957175010193207627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2025

— (@OneJoblessBoy) August 17, 2025

">