Seven Years Remembrance: NFF, FIFA pay tribute to Nigerian Legend Rashidi Yekini

Striker Rashidi Yekini's famous goal celebration after scoring against Bulgaria - Getty

Video 👇 - The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) have paid glowing tribute to the late former Super Eagles forward Rashidi Yekini.


The late Yekini who is Nigeria’s all time record top scorer with 37 goals in 58 appearances died on May 4, 2012 at the age of 48.

“The legend of Rashidi Yekini lives on. On this day in 2012, Nigeria’s all time top scorer passed on to glory. Keep resting in power, Goals-Father. #WeRememberYekini,” reads a tweet on the official Twitter handle of the NFF on Saturday.

Goals-Father 🇳🇬 ⚽ ⚽ - As posted... 👇👇

The legend of Rashidi Yekini lives on. On this day in 2012, Nigeria’s all time top scorer passed on to glory. Keep resting in power, Goals-Father. #WeRememberYekini pic.twitter.com/hnqnSAQbWH

— The NFF 🇳🇬 (@thenff) May 4, 2019

World soccer ruling body, FIFA also posted a short message on their Twitter handle in remembrance of Yekini with a picture of his famous celebration after scoring Nigeria’s opening goal against Bulgaria at the 1994 World Cup in the United States of America underneath it.

“#OnThisDay seven years ago, we lost
@NGSuperEagles legend Rashidi Yekini. The first player to score a World Cup goal for the Super Eagles, his passionate celebration will always have its place in the history of the tournament,” FIFA tweeted.

First player to score a world cup goal for the Super 🇳🇬 Eagles... ⚽ - As posted... 👇👇

#OnThisDay seven years ago, we lost 🇳🇬@NGSuperEagles legend Rashidi Yekini.

The first player to score a World Cup goal for the Super Eagles, his passionate celebration will always have its place in the history of the tournament. pic.twitter.com/la35PP8psK

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) May 4, 2019

Nicknamed the Goals Father, Yekini represented Nigeria in five major tournaments, including two World Cups where he scored the Country’s first-ever goal in the competition.

He was also named the African Footballer of the Year in 1993, the first Nigerian footballer to win the award.

Yekini also helped the Super Eagles win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia where he also topped the goal scorers chart.

Yekini...international goal poacher ⚽ - As posted... 👇👇

Yekini's 37 goals makes him Nigeria's record international goal poacher. #WeRememberYekini pic.twitter.com/sBCGlUCPt6

— The NFF 🇳🇬 (@thenff) May 4, 2016