Rashidi Yekini (23 October 1963 – 4 May 2012) was a Nigerian footballer who played as a striker.

His professional career, which spanned more than two decades, was mainly associated with Vitória de Setúbal in Portugal, but he also played in six other countries besides his own.

Yekini scored 37 goals as a Nigerian international, and represented the nation in five major 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


Club career

Yekini was born in Kaduna, of Yoruba origin. After starting his professional career in the Nigerian league, he moved to Côte d'Ivoire to play for Africa Sports National, and from there he went to Portugal and Vitória de Setúbal where he experienced his most memorable years, eventually becoming the Primeira Liga's top scorer in the 1993–94 season after scoring 21 goals; the previous campaign he had netted a career-best 34 in 32 games to help the Sadinos promote from the second division, and those performances earned him the title of African Footballer of the Year once, the first ever for the nation.

In the summer of 1994, Yekini was bought by Olympiacos FC, but did not get along with teammates and left soon after. His career never really got back on track, not even upon a return to Setúbal which happened after another unassuming spell, in La Liga with Sporting de Gijón; he successively played with FC Zürich, Club Athlétique Bizertin and Al-Shabab Riyadh, before rejoining Africa Sports. In 2003, aged 39, he returned to the Nigerian championship with Julius Berger FC.

In April 2005, 41-year-old Yekini made a short comeback, moving alongside former national teammate Mobi Oparaku to Gateway United FC.

International career

Scoring 37 goals for Nigeria in 58 appearances, Yekini was the national record goalscorer. He was part of the team that participated in the 1994 (where he netted Nigeria's first-ever goal in a World Cup, in a 3–0 win against Bulgaria, his celebration after scoring, crying while holding the goal's net, became one of the iconic images of the tournament) and the 1998 FIFA World Cups.

Additionally, Yekini helped the Super Eagles win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia where he also topped the goal charts and was named best player of the competition. He also participated at Olympic level in Seoul 1988.

Death

Yekini was reported to be ill for an extended period of time. In 2011, news media in Nigeria begun issuing reports of his failing health, and he was said to suffer from bipolar disorder, depression and some other undisclosed psychiatric condition. He died in Ibadan on 4 May 2012 at the age of 48, the news being confirmed by former national teammates Mutiu Adepoju and Ike Shorunmu; he was buried at his residence in Ira, Kwara State. He was survived by his aged mother, brother, wives and children, among others.

naptu2:
1) Yekini vs Gabon (that was my dream goal).

2) Yekini vs Gabon (trademark power freekick).



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXxsP2GNc3k

ayodaisi:
Yekini olodo

naptu2:
Yekini vs Zaire (the ball didn't even touch the ground).



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLWLiQ4_n2U

naptu2:



Below is a clip of the game against South Africa.


National Stadium, Surulere. October 1992.
Nigeria 4 (Yekini [2], Siasia, Owobokiri) - 0 South Africa.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVSRpg9oWX8

naptu2:



Okwaraji's super goal

This is my favourite goal by Okwaraji. I searched YouTube for a video of this goal from 2008 till 2016 before I eventually found one. That's because most people on YouTube prefer to post videos of the final, which was also between Nigeria and Cameroon.

This is a group stage match at the 1988 Nations Cup (Maroc '88) between Nigeria and Cameroon. Okwaraji scored in the second minute via a rocket shot from outside the penalty box (this is the kind of shot that Ernest Okonkwo would describe as an "intercontinental ballistic missile). It was the fastest goal at the Nations Cup at that time. The player that dribbled down the right and passed to Okwaraji was Rashidi Yekini.


Roger Milla equalised in the 21st minute, via a bullet header that beat Peter Rufai and it ended

Nigeria 1-1 Cameroon.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY9ZYHyTVwU

osabiya16:
This two people at the top fast sha

I guess dey Are jobless if not


Happy birthday sir

naptu2:
Senegal ’92 Nations Cup Third Place Match (January 25, 1992)

Nigeria lost to Ghana in that painful semi-final of Senegal ’92 and then played Cameroon in the third place match.

Cyrille Makanaky missed a penalty in the first half and Friday Ekpo scored for Nigeria via a 77th minute freekick. Kesack Maboang equalised for Cameroon in the 85th minute.

The Cameroonian defence had heavily policed the most dangerous man in Africa and highest goal scorer of the competition, Rashidi Yekini, but he broke free in the 88th minute for a classic Nigerian counter attack (which would become common between 1991-1994). A long ball from the opponent’s half is played in front of Yekini who is on the run. He outruns the defenders and slots the ball in the goal. Thus it ended

Nigeria 2-1 Cameroon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvXg8HrFsIg


Line Up

Nigeria

Alloysius Agu (goalkeeper)
Nduka Ubade
Augustine Eguavoen
Abdul Aminu
Reuben Agboola
Mutiu Adepoju
Friday Ekpo
Finidi George
John Ene Okon
Victor Ikpeba
Rashidi Yekini

Substitutions

Nigeria

Emeka Ezeugo for Augustine Eguavoen
Dotun Alatishe for John Okon.

Cameroon

Jacques Songo'o (goalkeeper)
Stephen Tataw
Benjamin Massing
Victor Ndip
Jules-Denis Onana
Bertin Ebwelle
Emile Mbouh
Jacob Ewane
Guy Tapoko,
Cyrille Makanaky
Kessack Maboang

Substitutions
Eugene Ekeke for Jacob Ewane
Ernest Ebongue for Cyrille Makanaky