Google Celebrates Late Super Eagles Striker Yekini On 60th Posthumous Birthday

Former Super Eagles forward Rashidi Yekini has been celebrated by Google on his 60th posthumous birthday.

Google celebrated the late legendary striker with a special doodle.

Yekini died in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on May 4, 2012, at the young age of 48.

The doodle began with a bio about the iconic striker: “Today’s Doodle celebrates iconic Nigerian footballer Rashidi Yekini, an accomplished forward nicknamed the “Goalsfather” for his ability to sneak shots by the keeper. On this day in 1963, he was born in Kaduna, Nigeria.

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“The beginning of Yekini’s life was difficult as he faced homelessness and poverty. To make money, his first jobs were a welder and mechanic, but his true goal was to pursue football. He soon began playing in front of scouts and in 1981, he joined his first football club, UNTL FC, in Kaduna.

The talented striker played for the Shooting Stars next, scoring an impressive 45 goals in 53 games. His spectacular scoring abilities earned him the title of African Footballer of the Year in 1983, and he was the first Nigerian player to receive this honor. The next year, he helped bring the Shooting Stars to the finals of the African Champions Cup.

Outside of Nigeria, he also played for football clubs in Spain, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Tunisia, Switzerland, and Greece. While playing for a Portuguese team called Vitória Setúbal, he won the Bola de Prata (Silver Ball) for being the league’s top-scoring player in the 1993-94 season.

“Happy birthday, Rashidi Yekini!“

Yekini is regarded as one of the best strikers to have come out of Nigeria.

The former Vitoria Setubal of Portugal player played a crucial role in Nigeria qualifying for her maiden World Cup in 1994.

He was top scorer at the Senegal 1992 and Tunisia 1994 nations cups.

Yekini was the first Nigerian to score at the World Cup.