The name Rashidi Yekini is one that needs no introduction when speaking about the senior national team of Nigeria judging by the fact that he still holds the record of the all time top scorer in the history of Nigerian football.
Beyond the all time top scorer record, the striker who died at the age of 48 in 2012 due to an unspecified illness still lives in the mind of many with the way he blaze the trail for Nigerian football in the 90’s.
In the past few days they have been talks about the greatest Super Eagles player of all time but surprisingly Yekini has not been mentioned by any involved in the debate. Something Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman seek to address in this piece.
I pick five reasons why the Kaduna born forward is the greatest to have worn the green white green shirt of the senior national team of Nigeria in the history of the team.
1. First Nigerian To Win Best Player In Africa Award
The award for the best player in Africa was first held in 1970 and the Nigerian who was came closest to winning the award was Segun Odegbami. Mathematical like the speedy winger is nicknamed finished 3rd in 1977 and was second in 1980 despite leading Nigeria to the African Cup of Nations title.
All that changed in 1993 when Yekini was announced winner after an extraordinary season with Vitoria Setubal of Portugal where he finished as top scorer with 21 goals in the Portuguese top division. Prior to that season he fired the modest side to promotion by scoring 34 times in 32 games.
His feat has since been matched by other Nigerian players but in history he still holds the record of the first player from Nigeria to be named the best player in Africa.
2. First And Only Nigerian To Finish As Top Scorer In Back To Back AFCON
While Segun Odegbami holds the record and honour of the first Nigerian to win the top scorer award in the Africa Cup of Nations with his three goals for Nigeria in the 1980 Cup of Nations. No Nigerian has won the award consecutively bar Yekini.
At Senegal 92 he finished as top scorer with four goals. A feat he repeated in Tunisia 94 but this time around he went a step further by scoring a goal more. In history as many as four Nigerians have emerged as top scorer namely Odegbami, Emmanuel Emenike, Odion Ighalo and Yekini but the latter holds the a prestigious position as the only one to do it twice till date.
3. Only Nigerian In All Time Top Scorer History Of AFCON
What many don’t seem to understand is that Yekini’s record at the African Cup of Nations is one that still help Nigeria get a mention when the history of the tournament is talked about. He is also Nigeria’s sole representative in the top three all time top scorer category with 13 goals from just four tournaments.
He sits in third behind Samuel Eto’o who is on 18 goals and Laurent Pokou who has 14 goals. A look at how he compares to the two players ahead of him will give a perfect insight on why even at third position he still ranks among one of the greatest ever.
While Eto’o needed six African Cup of Nations to finish as all time top scorer in the tournament. Pokou also benefited from scoring five times against Ethiopia in the 1970 tournament. Yekini wasn’t that fortunate with what they enjoyed yet he sit just two spots behind them.
Many will argue that if not for Nigeria’s withdrawal from the 1996 event and subsequent suspension from the 1998 event, Yekini would have easily emerged as all time top scorer because those tournament particularly the one in 96 was played when Nigeria had one of the best squad in their history with many of the players who conquered the world at the 1996 Olympics in the team.
4. Only Nigerian To Finish As Top Scorer In A Major League In Europe
In 1992 when Yekini emerged as top scorer in the Portuguese second division for Vitoria Setubal with 32 goals in 34 games, the talks were centered on how he won’t be able to repeat the feat in the top flight following their promotion.
He stunned the entire country when he scored 21 goals to finish as top scorer in the top division for the newly promoted side and till date no other Nigerian has finished as top scorer in any recognised league in Europe.
5. Super Eagles All Time Top Scorer
37 goals from 58 games in an era when teams play less friendly games means most of his goals came in competitive games. 1999 was the last time Yekini played for Nigeria. 21 years after his record still remains intact despite the fact that other players in his role have even played more games.
For instance Osaze Odemwingie represented Nigeria 63 times and only scored ten goals, present captain of the team Ahmed Musa has 91 caps but he has just 15 goals to his name. Yakubu Aiyegbeni played one game less than Yekini and had 12 games.
The difference in his goal count when compared to other players who played more games than him can only mean one thing. Even though his remains have been committed to mother earth, his legacy is still a force to reckon with on earth.
