ABUJA- Google doodle marked the 60th posthumous birthday of Rashidi Yekini, the iconic Nigerian footballer known as the ‘Goalsfather’ as a prolific striker.
Born on October 23, 1963, in Kaduna, Yekini’s journey from a challenging early life of homelessness and poverty to football stardom was celebrated.
Yekini’s unwavering passion for football led him from a job as a welder and mechanic to the attention of scouts. He began his football career with UNTL FC in Kaduna in 1981, later joining the Shooting Stars, where he boasted an impressive record of 45 goals in 53 games.
In 1983, Yekini’s exceptional goal-scoring prowess earned him the title ‘African Footballer of the Year’, a historic achievement for a Nigerian player. The following year, he played a pivotal role in taking the Shooting Stars to the finals of the African Champions Cup.
His talent extended beyond Nigeria, as Yekini played for clubs in Spain, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Greece, Portugal, and Switzerland.
Notably, he clinched the Bola de Prata (Silver Ball) in the 1993-94 season as the top-scoring player in the Portuguese league while playing for Vitória Setúbal.
Rashidi Yekini was a central figure for Nigeria’s national team, the Super Eagles, and played a vital role in qualifying for the 1994 World Cup.
His iconic goal celebration, where he clutched the net with both arms and shed tears of joy after scoring Nigeria’s first goal, is etched in football history.
Throughout his illustrious career spanning over 14 years with the Super Eagles, Yekini also participated in the 1998 World Cup, amassing 37 goals in 58 games for Nigeria, a record for the most goals scored for the country.
