Mikel Arteta has offered a humorous glimpse into his playing days, naming Brazilian icon Ronaldinho and Nigerian legend Jay-Jay Okocha among the most skillful players he ever shared the pitch with, while picking former Nigerian international Haruna Babangida as the teammate with the worst dress sense.
Sports247 reports that the Arsenal manager, reflecting on his years as a professional footballer, highlighted the extraordinary technical ability of some of the players he encountered during his career.
Arteta’s admiration for Okocha comes as little surprise given the Nigerian’s reputation as one of football’s most entertaining and technically gifted players. Okocha was renowned for his dribbling, creativity, close control and spectacular tricks.
Ronaldinho, meanwhile, was another player whose flair and technical brilliance made him one of the defining entertainers of his generation.
But while Arteta had plenty of praise for the footballing ability of his former colleagues, his assessment of fashion was considerably less complimentary.
The Spaniard jokingly singled out Haruna Babangida, the former Nigerian winger who came through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, as the player with the worst sense of dressing among his teammates.
Babangida and Arteta were teammates in Barcelona’s youth setup, with the Nigerian once highly regarded at the academy. Arteta has previously described Babangida as an exceptionally talented youngster, even recalling him as the best 15-year-old player he had seen at the time.
The revelation provides another entertaining chapter to the relationship between Arteta and Babangida, whose paths crossed during their formative years at Barcelona.
For Babangida, however, being remembered by Arteta for his football talent may ultimately outweigh the playful fashion criticism.
The former Nigerian international went on to enjoy a professional career across Spain, Ukraine, Greece, Cyprus, Russia, Germany and the Netherlands, while also earning a senior appearance for Nigeria.
From footballing brilliance to questionable fashion choices, Arteta’s revelations have certainly given fans another fascinating look into the personalities behind some of the game’s familiar names.
