By: Odeh Favour Adiya
Afrobeats superstar Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, has revealed that Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior and NBA star Jaylen Brown are part of an exclusive group chat where plans to bring both sports icons to Nigeria were recently discussed.
Speaking in an interview with ESPN UK posted on its YouTube channel on Tuesday, the Grammy-winning singer shared details of their close-knit circle, which they refer to as their “Seven group chat.”
“Now we have a 7 team. It’s me, Vini, and I don’t know if you know Jaylen Brown,” Burna Boy said. When the interviewer confirmed Brown’s identity as an NBA player, the singer added, “Yeah, that’s our Seven group chat.”
Detailing the topics discussed in the group, the singer explained that top on their agenda is planning a visit to Nigeria for the global sports stars. “It’s a lot of things. The last conversation we had is bringing all of them to Nigeria,” he said.
Beyond his relationship with Vinícius and Brown, the “Last Last” crooner also opened up about his personal connections with other top international athletes, including former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba and England captain Harry Kane.
Recalling how his bond with Pogba was formed, Burna Boy stated that the former French international surprised him by showing up at his home in the United States during his 30th birthday celebration.
His encounter with England striker Harry Kane was equally spontaneous, taking place during a birthday dinner organized for his uncle. “We just ran into him having dinner.
And, yeah, just dragged him to the party,” he recalled.
Turning his attention to football royalty, the singer declared former Super Eagles maestro Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha as his ultimate football GOAT (Greatest Of All Time), arguing that the former Bolton Wanderers midfielder has not received the global recognition he truly deserves for his impact on the game.
“Obviously Jay-Jay Okocha, and I’ll tell you why,” Burna Boy stated, adding, “Because I feel like he he hasn’t gotten the flowers that he deserves. You feel me? I feel like his name should be called in the leagues of, like, the legends’ legends.”
He further made a bold comparison between the Nigerian legend and former Brazilian icon Ronaldinho, asserting, “I think you should even call Jay-Jay Okocha’s name before you call Ronaldinho.”
Touching on his grassroots football initiatives back home, the artist spoke about his football academy in Nigeria, revealing that the motivation to set up the facility came after watching a documentary on community football in Jamaica.
Sharing his ultimate vision for young talents in the academy, Burna Boy stated that he hopes to see them rise through the ranks to play for elite European clubs like Manchester United.
“So I just started throwing my money at it,” Burna Boy said.
