Rashidi Yekini

Nigerian footballer

Born: October 23, 1963 · Died: May 4, 2012

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Who was Rashidi Yekini?

Rashidi Yekini (23 October 1963 – 4 May 2012) was a Nigerian professional footballer who played as a forward. He was known by his Nigerian team mates and fans as "The Goals Father", he scored more than 480 goals in over 670 games in his career. Yekini was born in Kaduna, of Yoruba origin. Powerful, fast, and clinical in front of goal. He was also named the African Footballer of the Year in 1993. He is the third all time highest goalscorer in Africa Cup of Nations history with 13 goals.

Historical significance

Yekini is widely regarded as one of the greatest Nigerian footballers of all time and one of the greatest players from the continent of Africa. His emotional World Cup celebration became one of the most iconic moments in Nigerian sports history. Yekini scored 37 goals in international matches and represented Nigeria in seven football tournaments, including two World Cups, where he scored the country's first-ever goal in the competition.

Sources and further reading

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MLA

“Rashidi Yekini.” thisDay, thisday.info/people/rashidi-yekini/. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

APA

Rashidi Yekini. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/rashidi-yekini/

Chicago

“Rashidi Yekini.” thisDay. Accessed October 23, 2026. https://thisday.info/people/rashidi-yekini/.

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