El Hadji Diouf claims Nigeria’s Okocha would have been the best player of all time if he was not African
– Diouf and Okocha were team-mates at Bolton Wanderers between 2004 and 2006
– The Senegalese legend refers to the former Eagles captain as ‘African Pele’
Jay Jay Okocha was a household name among Bolton fans as they went on to print his name on shirts with the inscription “so good they named him twice”.
Diouf arrived the Reebok stadium in 2004 and then went on to score a total of 24 goals for the club with Okocha captaining the side.
The pair were sensational for the Premier League club at that time as they helped the club to their first cup final in nine years where they finished runners-up in the 2004 Football League Cup to Middlesbrough.
While listing his best eleven team mates, Diouf also chose ex-Arsenal forward Nicolas Anelka as his top 9.
“Behind the striker, I would put the maestro, the best player in the world, the best player of all time if he was not African. Everyone’s idol. The African Pelé,” Diouf told France Football.
Jay Jay Okocha retired in 2008 at the age of 34.
El Hadji Diouf named his dream XI.
1. Tony Sylva (goalkeeper – ex-Lille, Trabzonspor, Monaco & Senegal)
2. Omar Daf (right-back – ex-Sochaux, Brest & Senegal)
3. Abdoulaye Faye (central defender – ex-Bolton Wanderers, Stoke City, RC Lens, West Ham, Hull & Senegal)
4. Pape Malick Diop (central defender – ex-Lorient, Guingamp & Senegal)
5. Ricardo Gardiner (left-back – ex-Bolton & Jamaica)
6. Papa Bouba Diop (central midfielder – ex-Fulham, Portsmouth, West Ham, Birmingham, Senegal)
7. Camel Meriem (central midfielder – ex-Sochaux, Bordeaux, Monaco, Apollon Limassol)
8. Henri Camara (right midfielder – ex-Sedan, Wolves, Panetolikos, Wigan)
9. Khalilou Fadiga (left midfielder – ex-Club Brugge, Auxerre, Senegal)
10. Jay-Jay Okocha (attacking midfielder – ex-Frankfurt, PSG, Bolton & Nigeria)
11. Nicolas Anelka (striker – ex-Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea & France)
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