Former Super Eagles player Jay Jay Okocha has revealed what the average life of a football player is when their career is still active and when they retire.
There have been numerous situations concerning the lives of footballers, especially when they retire and are unable to maintain their lifestyle. For most former Super Eagles players, they find it difficult to pay their hospital bills, which sometimes leads to their death or begging for money.
Okocha was speaking in an interview with a long-form podcast where he was asked about his life as a footballer. According to him, football is a short career without pensions, so players must plan.
The midfielder also said that he realised at 23 that real life begins after retiring, when glamour and free perks end. However, the good thing for him was that he focused on safe investments like property to sustain himself, avoiding risky ventures and greed that trap many players.
He said,
“It hit me when I first bought my property back home in Nigeria and also in England. You buy a huge property but the income it generates in a month is not that much. I realised that for me to take home millions, I needed to invest more and stay focused. I also decided not to be greedy so I didn’t invest in businesses I had no idea about.”
Jay Jay is one of the most sought-after footballers when he was active during his playing days and he is still regarded as one of the best midfielders to ever play for the Super Eagles.
