Google Doodle honored Nigerian football legend Rashidi Yekini on his 60th birthday on Monday, October 23. Yekini was known for his ability to slip shots past the goalkeeper.
Yekini was born in Kaduna State, Nigeria, on October 23, 1963, and sadly, he passed away on May 4, 2012, at the age of 48.
This year, he would have turned 60, and Google is commemorating the striker who made history by scoring Nigeria’s inaugural FIFA World Cup goal.
Yekini faced significant hardship and homelessness as a result of poverty, and he resorted to working as a mechanic and welder to earn a living. Despite these challenges, he held a strong determination to pursue a professional football career.
His break came when he was scouted to join the local club ‘UNTL FC’ in Kaduna, Nigeria. Following this, he played for the Shooting Stars, where he displayed his prowess by netting an impressive 45 goals in 53 games, including 12 goals in 30 matches.
In 1982, he made a move to Shooting Stars of Ibadan before catching the attention of Abiola Babes in 1984, where he delivered a remarkable performance, scoring an astonishing 80 goals in 100 matches, as reported by Live Mint.
In 1987, the striker embarked on a journey that took him from Ivory Coast, where he joined Africa Sports, to Europe, where he became part of the Portuguese team Victoria Setubal.
During the 1993-94 season, he earned the prestigious Bola de Prata (Silver Ball) as the top goal scorer in the league while representing the Portuguese team.
He also had notable experiences playing in Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, and Saudi Arabia.
Yekini played a vital role in Nigeria’s qualification for the 1994 World Cup, making history by scoring the nation’s first-ever goal in the tournament.
He proceeded to perform an iconic celebration, gripping the net with both arms as tears of joy streamed down his face.
Google Doodle has paid tribute to the player by featuring an animated version of this iconic image from that goal.
Yekini retains the record for the highest number of international goals scored by a Nigerian, with an impressive 37 goals in 58 appearances for his national team.