The memories of players who were once flamboyant and extravagant sometimes fall victim to time, with some forgetting their incredible achievements. One such star was Rashidi Yekini!
The Nigerian was a striker who departed this world in 2012, some seven years after hanging up his boots. While he may be gone now, his legacy lives on and continues to inspire many who dream of scoring goals, winning trophies, travelling to play the beautiful game around the world while representing different teams, and representing their national teams on the biggest stages.
Read: Chiefs-linked boss praises players after dominant league triumph
The former attacker's career began in his home country, where he represented Kaduna United, Shooting Stars and Abiola Babes from 1982 to 1987 before joining Ivory Coast side Africa Sports, where he caught the eyes of European clubs.
Portuguese side Vitoria Setubal then came knocking, and Yekini answered them in more ways than one. He joined the side in July 1990, when they were still in the second division battling for promotion. When they eventually reached that target, the striker played an instrumental role in helping them achieve it.
Famously nicknamed "the Goalsfather", he helped the side reach the Portuguese top flight by netting a career-best 34 goals in 32 games. His performances during that 1992/93 season contributed to him getting his hands on one of the most acclaimed prizes in African football, the African Player of the Year award in 1993.
The former Super Eagle scored 21 goals in his first season in the Primeira Liga (Liga Portugal as it is more commonly known today), earning himself the top scorer award and in doing so inscribing his name in the division's history books.
Yekini then went on to represent various clubs around the globe, moving to Greek giants Olympiacos and Spanish side Sporting Gijon, before making a return to Vitoria Setubal in 1997 for a short stint. He then went on to join Swiss club FC Zurich, who turned out to be the last European team he represented.
What followed was time in Tunisia at CA Bizertin, multiple stints at Saudi Arabian club Al Shabab, a return to Africa Sports, and spells at Nigerian teams Julius Berger FC and Gateway FC, where he decided to hang up his illustrious boots.
While his club career was eventful, his time and achievements with the Nigeria national team was historic and memorable to say the least. At the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal, Yekini finished as top scorer with four goals, but those strikes were unfortunately not enough to fire the Super Eagles to a triumphant tournament as they ended in third place.
However, the man who once stated, according to FIFA, that he would laugh at opponents who boasted they would prevent him from scoring because "no man can stop what God had decreed" would go on to win another Golden Boot at AFCON 1994. And on that occasion, the Super Eagles won the continental trophy for the second time in their history.
Yekini cemented his legacy as a Nigeria legend when they competed at their first-ever FIFA World Cup finals appearance in 1994, and it was the striker who scored their first goal in that competition – a record he will forever hold.
Despite the player's achievements in the beautiful game, some believe he never received the plaudits he deserve. One of those is former Nigeria international and coach Sunday Oliseh, who had nothing but the highest of praise for his former teammate.
"Rashidi Yekini was the greatest striker that Nigeria ever had and he might be the greatest striker that I will ever see in my lifetime. But unfortunately, because he was a Nigerian, he didn't get the publicity that he deserved. Nigerians knew how good he was, but the outside world doesn't really appreciate him," Oliseh said, per PUNCH.
Read: African star of the weekend: The Togolese talisman!
Disclaimer: SNL24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on SNL24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of SNL24.