BEVERLY HILLS, October 24, (THEWILL) – On the 23rd of October 2020, in what could have been the 57th birthday of Nigerian legend Rashidi Yekini, THEWILL remembers one of the most prolific and patriotic footballers ever to don the Green-White-Green of the Super Eagles who sadly passed on to glory in May 2012, aged just 48.
In the iconic year for Nigerian football that was 1994, when she not only won her second African Cup of Nations title but also qualified for a debut World Cup appearance and reached the Last 16 of that Coupe du Monde, one name synonymous with those accomplishments and without which any of it could not have materialised remains the name of Rashidi Yekini, unarguably Nigeria’s best striker ever.
Born on the 23rd of October 1963, the player who is one of the most decorated on the continental level still holds the record of the all-time highest goal scorer for Nigeria with 37 goals, most of which were very timely and essential goals for advancement to subsequent stages of the various tournaments and competitions featuring the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
Yekini, nicknamed “King of Goals” as a nod to his lethality in front of goal, was the man who helped propel Nigeria into the mainstream of international football where they have since remained.
The goal machine, whose career spanned more than two decades, played for several domestic clubs before moving to Europe in 1990 where he played for, among other sides, the Portuguese outfit Vitoria Setubal. After four years there in which he averaged almost a goal a game (91 goals in 114 appearances) Yekini top-scored at the 1994 AFCON in Tunisia helping Nigeria to a second continental Gong.
His five goals of the tournament included two quarter-final goals to edge out Zaire and one in the semis against Cote d’Ivoire to force a draw, and convert the winning penalty in the decisive shootout.
He was to become an internationally recognised ambassador of Nigerian football in the World Cup that year, when, after scoring Nigeria’s first ever World Cup goal in a debut 3-0 win over a strong Bulgaria side, he celebrated in the net.
That iconic celebration has been watched over and over again by fans in every corner of the world. He gripped the net and shook it as he knelt down in celebration. Then, he brought his hands to his face and extended them up to the sky, uttering words no one could make out clearly, sobbing in gratitude.
And, he deserved every bit of it.
The Super Eagles would finish top of their group ahead of Argentina (despite losing 2-1 against them) but would get knocked out in painful fashion, conceding a late equaliser against Italy in the next round before being beaten after extra time.
Apart from Vitoria Setubal, he appeared and scored in the colours of sides like Olympiacos, Sporting Gijon, Zurich, Bizerte, Al-Shabab and Africa Sports. In 2003, aged 39, he returned to the Nigerian championship for an unproductive spell with Julius Berger FC.
In April 2005, the 41-year-old striker made a short comeback, moving alongside former national teammate Mobi Oparaku to Gateway United FC where he appeared 26 times and scored seven goals.
The goal-poacher called it quits and hung his boots in 2005. After retiring, he withdrew to a quiet and simple life alone in Ibadan and away from his family. He displayed a preference for staying away from the public eye and did not do much socialising.
There have been suggestions that he suffered from depression brought about by a number of factors. This includes him losing his life savings in a failed investment – apparently he had given his money in cash to a confidant who was then killed by armed robbers that made away with the money.
THEWILL believes Rashidi Yekini’s impact on Nigerian football remains immense. It is a real shame that he did not receive much in terms of gratitude from successive governments of the country he served so dutifully, according to those close to him. Yekini died in 2012 after having suffered ill-health for some time but there have been claims that his death was more suspicious than that.
THEWILL however concludes that nothing can erase the records that bear his name:
* Nigeria’s all-time highest goal-scorer (37 goals)
* Scoring Nigeria’s 1st World Cup goal
* African Footballer of The Year 1993
* Portuguese League Top Scorer 1994
* AFCON Top Scorer 1992 & 1994
* Tunis 94 MVP
* 3rd All-Time AFCON highest goal scorer (13 goals).
For these and much more, THEWILL celebrates the life of the “King of Goals” Rashidi Yekini.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
