Jay-Jay Okocha, the former Super Eagles captain and ex-Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, has shared his personal ranking of the world’s best dribblers, placing six players above Cristiano Ronaldo. Speaking ahead of Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) opener against Tanzania in Morocco, Okocha described the late Diego Maradona as the top dribbler, calling him a “street footballer.”
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi came second, Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane third, and Neymar fourth. Okocha ranked himself fifth, showing confidence in his own skills. Morocco’s Adel Taarabt was sixth, with Ronaldo seventh, followed by Barcelona legend Ronaldinho in eighth. France’s Hatem Ben Arfa and Portugal’s Ricardo Quaresma completed the list in ninth and tenth positions.
Okocha’s ranking reflects his appreciation for creativity, flair, and close control on the ball, highlighting his view that pure dribbling ability isn’t always tied to global fame or goal-scoring records.
This gives fans an interesting perspective from one of Nigeria’s greatest footballers on who truly stands out as the world’s best dribblers today and in history.
