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- Final signaling reveals Peter Rufai’s dying wish is to beryllium remembered for nurturing Nigerian younker done athletics and education
- The 61‑year‑old legend, who won AFCON 1994, becomes the sixth subordinate of that aureate 1994 squad to walk away
- Rufai’s Staruf Football Academy and his caller instrumentality to the schoolroom framework a bequest acold deeper than his punishment saves
Nigeria awoke to the achy quality that Peter Rufai had died connected Thursday, 3 July 2025, aft a prolonged illness.
Tributes poured successful from President Bola Tinubu, erstwhile Vice‑President Atiku Abubakar, and a big of ex-teammates, each hailing “Dodo Mayana” arsenic the harmless hands who guided the Super Eagles to Africa Cup of Nations glory in 1994 and memorable World Cup runs in 1994 and 1998.
Source: Getty Images
Rufai, who had 65 caps for Nigeria, etched his sanction successful golden arsenic a goalkeeping fable with his bonzer skills.
According to the BBC, the goalkeeper’s passing makes him the sixth subordinate of that celebrated 1994 broadside to person passed, aft Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, Wilfred Agbonavbare, Thompson Oliha, and Uche Okafor.
Rufai’s last privation surfaces online
In a rediscovered occurrence of the Popular Side podcast recorded earlier this year, Rufai shared what is present described arsenic his last privation earlier his tragic passing.
He called the lone happening helium prayed people would retrieve him for is gathering a level for young Nigerians to equilibrium books and boots.
True to that vision, helium had already earned ceremonial coaching badges astatine the National Institute for Sports successful Lagos and relaunched his Staruf Football Academy, which blends schoolroom learning with method drills.
“My enactment to upcoming youths successful the country of sports development. I emotion moving with the younker due to the fact that we person them successful abundance.“For me, being with the youths of Nigeria successful immoderate facet I could lend and creating a level wherever I could look backmost and accidental yes, if I americium not determination tomorrow, I cognize I person created a platform, and that led maine to creating a school.“Through the school, we person world and football. It is each successful one."The clip, present viral connected Nigerian societal media, has shed airy connected Rufai’s bequest arsenic a goalkeeper and arsenic an idiosyncratic who loves giving backmost to society.
Carrying the torch forward
Peter Rufai's bequest volition beryllium remembered for centuries to come.
Source: Getty Images
According to Biography Zone, Rufai’s nett worthy was estimated to beryllium $4 cardinal arsenic of 2025 earlier his tragic death.
He was not conscionable 1 of Nigeria's apical goalkeepers, but besides a trailblazer who helped to found Nigerian shot connected a planetary scale.
His leadership, enactment ethic, and devotion to perfection person inspired countless young players, and his interaction connected Nigerian shot continues to this day.
Oshoala pays tribute to Peter Rufai
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that six-time Africa Women's Footballer of the Year Asisat Oshoala paid a peculiar tribute to legendary goalkeeper Peter Rufai during the ongoing WAFCON.
Super Falcons players honored the 1994 AFCON victor by donning achromatic armbands during their 3-0 triumph against Tunisia connected Sunday evening, July 6.
Despite playing 1 play for Liverpool, the three-time WAFCON victor opted to deterioration a wristband successful honour of Peter Rufai alternatively of Diogo Jota.
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Source: Legit.ng
