I TOOK THE NAME MUHAMMED AS PART OF MY TURKISH CITIZENSHIP

Jay Jay Okocha, a Nigerian star, has relived his glory days with Fenerbahce, explaining why he obtained Turkish citizenship and a unique chosen name, Muhammed. Yavuz, while playing for the club in the past.

Okocha said this when praising a member of Fenerbahce's coaching staff for inspiring his Turkish name.

The former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder played for Fenerbahce for two seasons from 1996 to 1998 after joining the Turkish giants in a €1 million transfer from German club Frankfurt.

Okocha said Hurriyet in an interview, "I spent two years in Turkey and it was a really good time for me. People loved me very much. Our fans were amazing.

"As for this kind of offer, I received Turkish citizenship without thinking. I didn't want to change my religion, but I got this name because I knew that Muslims loved the name, Muhammad."

"I accepted this name because it is very sacred and very important for Muslims," he remarked. Yavuz was our facility manager. He was incredibly compassionate and would frequently make us laugh.

"I asked him and gave him my ancestry as Yavuz." So I was Muhammed Yavuz."

Okocha, who finally joined PSG from Fenerbahce, previously played professionally for Bolton.