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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Google Doodle, on Monday, celebrated the 60th birthday of legendary Nigerian footballer, Rashidi Yekini.
Born on October 23, 1963, in Kaduna, Nigeria, Yekini’s journey from a challenging early life to football stardom is celebrated.
Yekini, driven by his passion for football, worked as a welder and mechanic before catching the eye of scouts. Joining his first football club, ‘UNTL FC’ in Kaduna, in 1981, he later played for Shooting Stars, amassing an impressive record of 45 goals in 53 games.
He played a pivotal role in leading Shooting Stars to the finals of the African Champions Cup in 1984.
Outside the shores of Nigeria, Yekini played for football clubs in Spain, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Greece, Portugal, and Switzerland.
In 1993, Yekini’s exceptional goal-scoring abilities earned him the title of ‘African Footballer of the Year,’ making him the first Nigerian player to achieve this honour.
Notably, he secured the Bola de Prata (Silver Ball) in the 1993-94 season as the league’s top-scorer while playing for Portuguese team, Vitória de Setúbal.
A key figure for Nigeria’s national team, the ‘Super Eagles,’ Yekini played a crucial role in their qualification for the 1994 World Cup. His iconic celebration, clutching the net with both arms and shedding tears of joy after scoring Nigeria’s first goal, remains etched in football history.
Continuing his football career for over 14 years with the Super Eagles, Yekini participated in the 1998 World Cup, scoring a total of 37 goals in 62games for Nigeria—a record for the most goals scored for the country till date.