Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has addressed the constant attention he receives from female admirers, insisting that while he appreciates the affection, he remains focused on his career and tries to keep distractions away from football. The Udinese shot-stopper made the remarks during a conversation with Nigeria Football Federation media officer Ayodele Ibidapo, days after his name was dragged into rumours involving Nigerian disc jockey and billionaire heiress Florence Otedola, popularly known as DJ Cuppy.
Okoye Opens Up on Female Attention
During the interview, Ibidapo asked the 26-year-old how he handles the overwhelming admiration he receives online. The NFF official, who did the interview for his personal use, pointed out that some fans even blame the goalkeeper's appearance whenever he makes mistakes, or Nigeria suffers defeat, with critics suggesting that his popularity among women affects his concentration.
Responding, Okoye revealed that he avoids discussing women publicly because comments can easily be taken out of context. According to him: "Honestly, I don't even have to deal with it. I don't really want to talk too much about women online because people will use anything you say. Anything can blow up."
Ibidapo then praised his professionalism before Okoye elaborated further on his approach to life. The former Sparta Rotterdam goalkeeper said football and excessive attention from women should never be mixed. He explained: "As a professional, you have to keep things separate. You cannot combine sports with too much attention from women and stuff like that."
The Udinese star added that he had become accustomed to the admiration because it had followed him for years. Okoye said: "To be honest, it has always been part of my life because people have always been a little bit crazy about me." He concluded by saying: "But I don't really pay too much attention to it. I appreciate the love, but I always try to stay professional."
How DJ Cuppy Rumours Emerged
Okoye's comments have reignited conversations surrounding claims made earlier this year by Germany-based sports journalist Oma Akatugba. Back in April, Akatugba quoted a viral clip of DJ Cuppy speaking about her dating experiences and hinted on X that one of his close friends had once turned down the advances of the Nigerian billionaire's daughter. Without revealing the identity of his friend, he suggested that he did not consider the woman his ideal type despite her wealthy background.
Akatugba wrote: "One of my boys show me that girl for him DM. I say Omo rush am ooo. Na billionaire pikin. My guy say 'she is not in my league.' I say ye Mogbe!! This my boy fine sha. Boy wey Dey chop mama and pikin." At the time in April, the post did not generate widespread speculation. Cuppy, daughter of billionaire businessman Femi Otedola, disclosed in the quoted post that she had dated different kinds of men and now preferred someone with a simple lifestyle and limited social media presence. The disc jockey also recalled paying £400 to join a dating application and revealed that she had once gone on a date with a bus driver.
Journalist Identifies Okoye as Mystery Person
The mystery was solved and conversations intensified on June 16 when Akatugba made a more direct revelation in a post that was later deleted. He disclosed that the person involved was indeed Maduka Okoye. According to the veteran journalist, he was visiting the goalkeeper while he still lived in the Netherlands and saw a message from the daughter of a Nigerian billionaire on Okoye's phone. Akatugba claimed he encouraged the goalkeeper to pursue the relationship because of the family's wealthy status, but Okoye allegedly laughed and replied that the lady was "not really in my league, beauty-wise," the same words he used two months ago when he quoted Cuppy's video but withheld Okoye's name. On his X handle, Oma wrote: “One day I was at Maduka’s place while he was still living in Holland, and he showed me his phone. He had a message from the daughter of a Nigerian billionaire. I screamed, ‘Bro, this one ma big fish o!’ He laughed and said, ‘Yeah, but she’s not really in my league beauty-wise.' I just held my head like, wow.” The latest interview with Ayodele Ibidapo then surfaced shortly after those claims had once again become a trending topic on social media.
Why Okoye Remains a Fan Favourite
Beyond his popularity among women, Okoye has enjoyed an impressive resurgence on the pitch. The goalkeeper, who represents Serie A side Udinese, re-established himself as one of Europe's top-performing African goalkeepers during the 2025/26 campaign. Per statistics from Sofascore, he kept 10 clean sheets in 30 Serie A appearances. The feat made him the first Nigerian goalkeeper to record double-digit clean sheets in Europe's top five leagues since Vincent Enyeama achieved the milestone in 2015. Off the field, Okoye's light complexion, tattoos, athletic physique and striking appearance have earned him a huge following, particularly among female supporters. Yet despite the admiration, the Super Eagles star insists his priorities remain firmly fixed on football.
Okoye Reunites with Girlfriend
Legit.ng previously reported that Okoye and Dutch model Jelicia Westhoff rekindled their relationship after a brief public disagreement. The couple, who share a son named Emiliano Isaiah and have been together for five years, eventually reconciled and decided to continue building their family together.
