Nigeria’s first World Cup goal scorer, Rashidi Yekini is being celebrated all over the country as today marks it eight years since the legend passed on.
One of those celebrating the former Sporting Gijon player is the president of the Authentic Nigeria Football Supporters Club Abayomi Ogunjimi.
The clubs president eulogized the former Nigerian and Victoria Setubal striker and hopes that one day we shall fine one who will fit into the big shoes the striker left behind.
“I want to celebrate an icon, a father and a legend. Rashidi Yekini. He has contributed a lot to football in Nigeria in total and he is an award winning footballer. We pray to see a standing striker of such brilliance and intelligence in Africa again. He gave us our first goal in the world cup. He is somebody we should continue to celebrate and recon with. We at the authentic football supporters Club, we celebrate a legend. Abayomi concludes.
It’s exactly eight years ago the striker died and each year the footballing world give a standing ovation for the legend. He scored Nigeria’s first goal in a FIFA World Cup. Died on 4 May 2012.
Yekini had a fantastic club career as he played good football at home and abroad. was born in the northern state of Kaduna. After starting his professional career in the Nigerian league, he moved to Côte d’Ivoire to play for Africa Sports National. From there he went to Portugal and Vitória de Setúbal where he experienced his most memorable years. eventually he became the Portuguese first division’s top scorer in 1993/94 season as his performances of 32 matches with 34 goals, earned him the title of African Footballer of the Year in 1993, the first ever from the nation.
In addition to his rich club football history, he played with FC Zürich, Club Athlétique Bizertin and Al-Shabab Riyadh, before rejoining Africa Sports. In 2003, at 39, he returned to the Nigerian championship with Julius Berger FC.
Through out his international career, Yekini Scored 37 goals for Nigeria’s national side in 58 appearances. He also holds the national goalscorers record. He was part of the team that participated in the 1994 FIFA World Cup where he scored Nigeria’s first-ever goal in a World Cup, in a 3–0 win against Bulgaria in the 1998 World Cup. Yekini also helped the Super Eagles win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, where he also topped the goal charts, and participated at Olympic level in Seoul 1988. Nigeria’s football history will not be complete without a sweet tale of the Super striker.
