Senegalese Fan Says Okocha Was "Robbed" of African Footballer of the Year Award, Still Backs Sadio Mané as Africa's Best

A Senegalese football fan, Alioune Ndiaye, says he is still bitter over what he described as the "unfair treatment" of Nigerian football legend Austin "Jay-Jay" Okocha in his bid to win the CAF African Footballer of the Year award.

Although Okocha retired many years ago, the frustration he faced in pursuit of the prize remains a topic of debate among fans and analysts. He came close on three occasions. He finished second in 1998, just two points behind Morocco's Mustapha Hadji, and lost out in 2003 and 2004 to Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o and Côte d'Ivoire's Didier Drogba respectively. Supporters point out that he won the BBC African Player of the Year award in both 2003 and 2004, and was named Best Player at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations after leading the Super Eagles to the title in Tunisia.

Ndiaye, an e-drive operator, told The Guardian that Okocha was a clear victim of football politics. "Till this moment, I still can't figure out why a great player like Austin Jay Jay Okocha did not win the African Footballer of the Year Award," he said. "I feel Okocha was robbed on two or three occasions, and that has been the problem with CAF. This politics in African football did not just start today."

Asked to choose between Okocha and Senegal's Sadio Mané as players, he picked Okocha, whom he sees as more complete and technically gifted. "I am not trying to play down the talent of Sadio, but Okocha was too good technically on the pitch," he said. He called Okocha the best dribbler to come from Africa and said he still remembers his dribbles at PSG and for the Super Eagles. He added that he hopes to meet him one day. According to him, Okocha is the better technician and a great midfielder, while Mané is quicker with the ball and in front of goal. "They are two different players on the pitch," he said.

However, Ndiaye singled out Mané as Africa's best footballer because of his humanitarian work, both in his native Bambali and across Senegal. "I don't know if Jay Jay Okocha was kind enough to use part of his wealth from football to touch people's lives in Nigeria, but I can say Sadio Mane is number one in Africa," he said.

He said Mané is treated like a king in Bambali, where he funded and helped open a public hospital serving the town and dozens of surrounding villages. In education, Mané financed a public secondary school and provided free laptops and internet connectivity. He also funded a petrol station, a post office and a stadium, and gives monthly financial support to families in the village. Ndiaye said Mané is the opposite of players like El-Hadji Diouf when it comes to empowering his people, and that other African footballers should follow his example.