The most popular search engine in the world, Google dedicated its doodle for its day (October 23, 2023) to Rashidi Yekini, one of the greatest Nigerian footballer.

Rashidi Yekini would have celebrated his 60th birthday, he would be remembered as one of the most prolific strikers in the history of Nigerian football.

Gangling Yekini’ as he was fondly called by football commentators back in the day, was born on October 23, 1963, in Kaduna, Nigeria, and passed away on May 4, 2012.

He’s journey from a challenging early life marked by homelessness and poverty to football stardom is celebrated.

Yekini, driven by his passion for football, worked as a welder and mechanic before catching the eye of scouts. Started his football career with ‘UNTL FC’ in Kaduna, in 1981, he later played for the Shooting Stars, amassing an impressive record of 45 goals in 53 games.

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. The following year, he played a pivotal role in leading the Shooting Stars to the finals of the African Champions Cup.

Beyond Nigeria, Yekini played for various football clubs in Spain, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Greece, Portugal, and Switzerland. Notably, he secured the Bola de Prata (Silver Ball) in the 1993-94 season as the league’s top-scoring player while with the Portuguese team Vitória 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 58 games for Nigeria—a record for the most goals scored for the country.

Rashidi Yekini at 60: 10 things to know about late Nigerian football legend

Rashidi Yekini may have died since May 4, 2012, but that did not stop Google Doodle from celebrating his posthumous birthday as the Nigerian football legend clocks 60 today, October 23, 2023.

Yekini remains one of the best strikers that Nigeria ever produced, but having retired from the game a long time ago before he died, most of the Gen Z football lovers do not really know him.

The Guardian hereby takes a good look at what the late striker means to the Nigerian football followers, his achievements in the game, and ten things to know about him…

• Yekini remains the all-time highest scorer in the history of Nigeria’s national soccer team, having netted a record 37 goals from 62 appearances for the Super Eagles.
• The lanky striker emerged as the African Player of the Year in 1993, thereby becoming the first Nigerian to win the continent’s prestigious individual award after three decades of misses.
• Yekini scored Nigeria’s first-ever goal in the history of the FIFA World Cup after netting in the country’s 3-0 victory over Bulgaria in their opening group game at USA 1994.
• The late striker was the top scorer in the Portuguese Primeira Liga in the 1993–94 season after finding the back of the net 21 times to win the Golden Boot in his last season with Vitoria Setubal.

  Yekini in the previous campaign (1992–93) netted a career-best 34 goals in only 32 games to help Vitoria Setubal secure promotion from the Portuguese second division to the Primeira Liga.

• *He was the highest scorer in the Ivory Coast league for three consecutive years (1988, 1989, and 1990) while playing in the colours of Africa Sports National.
• Yekini remains one of the Nigerian players to ever take part in two FIFA World Cups, having made the Super Eagles team that participated at USA 1994 and France 1998.
• After netting Nigeria’s first-ever goal in a World Cup, in the 3–0 win against Bulgaria, his celebration after scoring, crying while holding the goalpost’s net, became one of the iconic images of the Mundial.
• Yekini was born in Kaduna to Yoruba parents from Kwara State and started as a trainee welder before his love for football lured him away from the workshop to the field, where he endeared himself to scouts because of his goal-scoring instincts.
• Additionally, Yekini helped the Super Eagles win the 1994 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Tunisia, where he also topped the scorers’ charts after netting five goals and was named the best player of the competition while the Federal Government (FG) honoured him with the Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) award.