Jay-Jay Okocha Still Reigns as World Cup’s Greatest Dribbler, Says FIFA

FIFA has officially recognised Nigerian football legend Jay-Jay Okocha as the holder of the record for the most successful dribbles in a single FIFA World Cup match, cementing his place among the most skilful players in football history.

According to the world football governing body, Okocha completed 15 successful dribbles during Nigeria’s Round of 16 clash against Italy at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States. The remarkable feat came against an Italian side widely regarded as one of the strongest defensive teams of its era.

FIFA noted that the record remains unmatched more than three decades later, highlighting Okocha’s extraordinary ability to beat defenders with ease. The Nigerian playmaker produced the performance against a backline that included renowned stars such as Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta and Demetrio Albertini.

FIFA’s statistics place Okocha ahead of Brazilian great Jairzinho, who recorded 13 successful dribbles against Uruguay in 1970, and former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne, who matched that number against Cameroon at the 1990 World Cup.

Other football icons featured on the list include Eusébio, Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona and Jamal Musiala, all of whom recorded 12 successful dribbles in individual World Cup matches.

FIFA also revealed that Lionel Messi holds the record for the most successful dribbles across all World Cup appearances with 125, while Maradona remains the player with the most dribbles in a single tournament edition after registering 53 successful take-ons at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

Widely regarded as one of Africa’s greatest footballers, Okocha represented Nigeria at three FIFA World Cups and remains celebrated globally for his creativity, flair and dazzling dribbling ability.