Peter Rufai: Cause of death of Super Eagles legendary goalkeeper and 1994 AFCON winner emerges

• Super Eagles legendary goalkeeper and 1994 Africa Cup of Nations victor Peter Rufai has sadly passed away
• The erstwhile goalkeeper has been plagued with respective wellness challenges earlier his decease astatine 61 years old
• Rufai becomes the sixth subordinate from Nigeria's iconic USA '94 squad to person died

Peter Rufai, Nigeria’s 1994 AFCON‑winning goalkeeper and two‑time World Cup hero, passed distant successful Lagos astatine dawn connected Thursday, aged 61.

Friends accidental the erstwhile shot‑stopper had shuttled softly betwixt Nigeria and Spain for specializer attraction implicit the past 24 months, determined to support the ordeal distant from the nationalist eye.

Former Super Eagles skipper and World Cup goalkeeper Peter Rufai has died successful a Lagos hospital. Photo by Stu Foster
Source: Getty Images

Initial reports simply cited a “prolonged illness,” but Spanish outlet Cadena SER has since reported that Rufai suffered a cardiac apprehension astatine location aft struggling with a chronic bosom condition.

Silent battles and aboriginal informing signs

Rufai’s wellness issues were not wholly without precedent. Back successful October 2012, helium collapsed successful his Lagos bureau and was hospitalised overnight, an incidental galore dismissed arsenic fatigue astatine the time, Channels TV reported.

Medical records from that occurrence were ne'er made public, but household insiders had disclosed it was the archetypal reddish emblem of a heart‑related ailment that would resurface a decennary later.

In the past 2 years, adjacent friends noticed the once‑energetic academy proprietor scaling backmost transportation sessions, delegating on‑field drills to younger coaches and appearing visibly winded aft airy activity.

NFF caught disconnected defender with Rufai’s death

According to Cadena SER, Rufai experienced thorax discomfort precocious Wednesday nighttime but opted to “sleep it off.”

He went into cardiac apprehension astir 6 a.m. and was rushed to a adjacent hospital, wherever doctors pronounced him dead.

Peter Rufai poses with the Africa Cup of Nations trophy aft starring Nigeria to triumph the tourney successful 1994. Photo by Neal Simpson
Source: Getty Images

The quality blindsided the Nigeria Football Federation arsenic the assemblage had disclosed they had nary thought the legendary goalkeeper had been sick close earlier his passing successful a tribute to the erstwhile Super Eagles goalie.

“Peter Rufai dead? What happened? We did not adjacent cognize helium had been ill,”

NFF general‑secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi said successful a statement.

Tributes determination successful for precocious Peter Rufai

Past and contiguous Super Eagles stars from Ahmed Musa to Emmanuel Amuneke flooded societal media with tributes for Rufai, who is regarded arsenic 1 of Nigeria’s top goalkeeper.

Some recalled Rufai’s heroics against Bulgaria successful USA ’94 and his iconic greenish tracksuit successful France ’98.

Rufai, who famously rejected a hereditary throne to prosecute football, leaves down his wife, children and a goalkeeping academy that has produced 3 existent NPFL starters.

William Troost-Ekong, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Wilfred Ndidi are immoderate of the existent footballers who person paid their respect to the precocious Rufai and his legacies aft his bittersweet passing.

Peter Rufai is dead

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Stationery Stores fable Peter Rufai is reported dead pursuing a prolonged illness. The quality came arsenic a rude daze to the shot assemblage and Nigerians who are immense fans of the goalkeeper.

Peter Rufai is regarded arsenic 1 of the champion goalkeepers who person kept for Nigeria.

The announcement of his Rufai’s decease was confirmed by a apical Lagos State Government official.

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Source: Legit.ng