Nigerian football star Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha has shared how his close bond with Fenerbahce fans led him to become a Turkish citizen and take on the name “Muhammed Yavuz.”
Okocha told this funny story on the Obione Podcast. He looked back on his time with the Istanbul club from 1996 to 1998.
The former Nigeria international said that his connection with the team and its fans helped him decide to accept Turkish citizenship.
Okocha explained that the citizenship required him to pick a Turkish name, and he settled on Muhammed Yavuz.
“I enjoyed the love,” Okocha said, remembering his time at Fenerbahce.
He mentioned that Turkish officials asked him to choose a Turkish name after he decided to become a citizen. He ended up picking Muhammed Yavuz.
Okocha has talked about this name in several stories about his time in Turkey. He chose Muhammed because it is a significant name among Muslims. Yavuz came from a Fenerbahce facility manager he admired.
On the podcast, Okocha shared a funny moment when he first traveled with his new passport.
“I sat down in my seat. So they were telling me, welcome, Mr. Yavuz. I didn’t know I was the one they were talking about. I forgot my name.”
Okocha said that he got used to hearing his Turkish name over time.
His connection with Fenerbahce went beyond just citizenship. He quickly became a fan favorite after joining the club from Eintracht Frankfurt in 1996.
His two years at Fenerbahce are some of the best moments of his club career. He scored 30 goals in 62 league matches and won the hearts of fans in Istanbul.
His great play also caught the eye of Paris Saint-Germain, but Okocha said Fenerbahce was not willing to let him go at first.
“So, in as much as I enjoyed the love, you know, it became a problem. Because when PSG came, they said, I’m not leaving. I can’t leave. I’m not for sale. You know, so I had to run away. Stop training. Stop going to training.”
Okocha finally moved to PSG in 1998 in a big transfer that cost the French club €12.4 million.
His transfer to France started another important chapter in his career, which also included teams like Bolton Wanderers, Qatar SC, and Hull City.
But even after leaving, Okocha has always spoken highly of his time in Turkey, calling his years at Fenerbahce some of the most significant in his life.
His Turkish passport and new name remain one of the more interesting and fun stories of his famous career.
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