Burna Boy Reveals Secret Group Chat With Vinícius Júnior, Jaylen Brown Over Nigeria Visit Plans

Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy has revealed that Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior and NBA champion Jaylen Brown are part of a private group chat where they recently discussed plans to visit Nigeria.

The Grammy-winning singer, whose real name is Damini Ogulu, disclosed the details during an interview with ESPN UK, saying the trio are members of what they call their “Seven group chat”.

Burna Boy explained that the group brings together personalities from different fields, including music and sports, and that one of their recent conversations focused on bringing the two global athletes to Nigeria.

“Now we have a 7 team. It’s me, Vini, and I don’t know if you know Jaylen Brown,” he said during the interview.

When asked about the NBA star, Burna Boy confirmed that Brown was part of the group and added that their discussions recently centred on plans to visit Nigeria.

The singer also spoke about his football academy project in Nigeria, revealing that the idea was inspired by a documentary about grassroots football development in Jamaica. He said he hopes players from the academy can eventually reach the highest levels of the sport, including clubs like Manchester United.

Burna Boy said he has continued investing in the academy because of his desire to create opportunities for young Nigerian footballers and help them develop their talents.

The African music icon also reflected on his friendships with several football stars, including former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba and England captain Harry Kane. He recalled meeting Pogba at his 30th birthday celebration after the French footballer surprised him by attending the event.

Burna Boy further praised former Super Eagles midfielder Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha, naming him as his greatest footballer of all time and arguing that the Nigerian legend deserves more recognition globally.

The singer said Okocha’s influence on football places him among the game’s greatest figures and suggested that the former Bolton Wanderers star should be mentioned ahead of Brazilian icon Ronaldinho when discussing football legends.