Rashidi Yekini was a legendary Nigerian footballer whose impact on the game is celebrated worldwide. As we commemorate what would have been his 60th birthday, here are 12 things to know about him:
- Yekini was born on October 23, 1963, in Kaduna State, Nigeria, to Yoruba parents from Kwara State.
- Before pursuing a football career, he worked as a welder and mechanic.
- Yekini began his football journey with UNTL FC in Kaduna.
- In 1982, he joined Shooting Stars, where he scored 45 goals in 53 games during his two-year stint.
- In 1993, he became the first Nigerian footballer to win the African Footballer of the Year award.
- Yekini played for clubs in several countries, including Spain, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Greece, Portugal, and Switzerland.
- During the 1993-94 season with Portugal’s Vitória Setúbal, he won the Bola de Prata (Silver Ball) as the league’s top scorer, with 21 goals.
- He played a crucial role in Nigeria’s national team, the Super Eagles, helping them qualify for the 1994 World Cup and scoring the team’s first goal in the tournament.
- Yekini represented the Super Eagles for over 14 years and made another World Cup appearance in 1998.
- During his time with the Super Eagles, he scored 37 goals in 58 games for Nigeria.
- Yekini had three wives and three daughters: Yemisi, Omoyemi, and Damilola.
- He passed away on May 4, 2012, in Ibadan, Oyo State, at the age of 48.
Rashidi Yekini remains a football icon whose contributions to the sport continue to be celebrated and remembered by fans and players worldwide.