Remembering Yekini: Watch 5 amazing goals from Nigeria’s all-time top scorer

It was the day that Super Eagles all-time highest goalscorer Rashidi Yekini passed away.

Yekini, born in Kaduna, Nigeria on October 23, 1963, enjoyed an illustrious football career that saw him play for the likes of Vitoria Setubal, Olympiakos, Sporting Gijon and FC Zurich amongst many others.

The 6 ft 3 inches striker, however, really did leave his mark on the football scene through his heroics for the Nigerian national team.

Playing for the Super Eagles between 1984 and 1998, Yekini scored a record 37 goals: making him the country’s all-time top goalscorer, despite playing just 62 times.

His goal against Bulgaria at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States: Nigeria’s first-ever goal in the global tournament remains one, Nigerians will never forget.

Yekini set the pace for Nigeria to qualify with maximum points from Group A at the 1992 AFCON. A first-half brace against Kenya saw the Super Eagles coast to a 2-1 win.

Having qualified for the quarter-finals of the 1994 AFCON, Zaire: now DR Congo, kept Nigeria at bay in the first half. Yekini, however, refused to have any more of the Zaire defence’s stubbornness and broke past them to score with a sublime finish in the 51st minute.

African footballer of the year, and top scorer in the Portuguese league, Yekini proved so much of a trouble for the Gabonese defence, scoring twice in Nigeria’s opening Group B game in Tunisia. Of his brace against Gabon, his first stood out more.

While Yekini’s goal for Nigeria in the 3-0 win over Bulgaria might not have been something so special: as it was a simple tap-in from less than 10-yards, his celebration made it memorable.