Rashidi Yekini

Rashidi Yekini
Personal information
Date of birth (1963-10-23)23 October 1963
Place of birth Kaduna, Nigeria
Date of death 4 May 2012(2012-05-04) (aged 48)
Place of death Ibadan, Nigeria
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1981–1982 UNTL Kaduna 30 (12)
1982–1984 Shooting Stars 53 (45)
1984–1987 Abiola Babes 100 (80)
1987–1990 Africa Sports 113 (105)
1990–1994 Vitória Setúbal 114 (91)
1994–1995 Olympiacos 4 (2)
1995–1996 Sporting Gijón 14 (3)
1997 Vitória Setúbal 14 (3)
1997–1998 Zürich 28 (14)
1998–1999 Bizerte
1999 Al-Shabab
1999–2002 Africa Sports 130 (112)
2002–2003 Julius Berger 50 (10)
2005 Gateway 26 (7)
Total 673 (483)
National team
1984–1998 Nigeria 62 (37)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Rashidi Yekini (23 October 1963 – 4 May 2012) was a Nigerian professional footballer who played as a forward. He is the all-time top goalscorer for his nation. He was widely considered as one of the best football players in Africa.

His professional career, which lasted for more than 20 years, was mainly with Vitória de Setúbal in Portugal, but he also played in six other countries besides his own.[1]

Yekini scored 37 goals as a Nigerian international footballer, and represented the nation in seven big 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.[2][3]

References

  1. ↑ Nigerian football legend, Rashidi Yekini, dies at 49; The Times of Nigeria, 4 May 2012
  2. ↑ "Obituary: Rashidi Yekini (1963–2012)". Yahoo Sports. 4 May 2012. Archived from the original on 20 February 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  3. ↑ Nigeria: Legendary footballer, Rashidi Yekini dies at 48; All Africa, 5 May 2012