- Legendary Nigerian goalkeeper Peter Rufai mislaid his agelong conflict with unwellness connected Thursday, July 3, 2025
- The erstwhile Super Eagles shot-stopper won AFCON 1994 with Nigeria and besides played astatine 2 World Cups
- A video of the country astatine his location successful Lagos aft his demise has gone viral connected societal media, drafting reactions
Super Eagles fable Peter Rufai sadly passed distant astatine 61 connected Thursday, July 3, 2025, aft losing his conflict with prolonged illness, which had plagued him since 2012.
Rufai manned the extremity for the Super Eagles of Nigeria from 1983 to 1998, during which helium won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations successful Tunisia and featured astatine 2 World Cups successful 1994 and 1998.

Source: Getty Images
According to The NFF, helium began his vocation astatine Stationery Stores successful Lagos and had stints successful Europe, including with clubs successful Benin Republic, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands.
Dodo Mayana, arsenic helium was fondly referred to, retired successful 2000 and settled successful Spain, mounting up a goalkeeper’s academy, but yet relocated to Nigeria to live.
State of Rufai's location aft his death
Condolences poured successful for the legendary goalkeeper Rufai from the Nigerian shot community, galore of whom remembered him for his skills successful extremity and cheerfulness.
As seen successful a video going viral connected TikTok by BBC News Yoruba, the concern astatine the erstwhile player’s location was calm aft his death, with radical filling the condolence book.
His neighbours testified that helium was a liable antheral who participated successful the improvement of the assemblage and was humble contempt his presumption arsenic a erstwhile prima who travelled astir the world.
The video drew reactions from the fans, galore of whom hailed his bequest and believed helium should person recovered assistance erstwhile helium was suffering from his illness.
@OLASABAZOE wrote:
“People are speedy to motion the condolence publication but ne'er speedy to help.”@Bolajoko wrote:
“People are truthful speedy to accidental condolences 💐 alternatively of to assistance the idiosyncratic erstwhile they are alive. So bittersweet 😭!”@OsunAdara wrote:
“When helium needed help, nary 1 stood by him. Now you are saying what what. Same applicable to to Rasheed Yekini.”@DouglasIzevbigie wrote:
“May God not fto Nigeria hap to maine nor my siblings, Amen. Because it's a state ne'er to sacrifice for reasoning you volition beryllium a hero. He would person survived if the indispensable fiscal assistance was there.”
Source: Getty Images
Rufai, until his death, lived successful Idimu, Lagos, wherever helium was a royal prince and was touted to instrumentality implicit the throne aft his begetter passed distant successful 1998, erstwhile helium was astatine RC Deportivo.
He yet did not ascend the throne and continued his vocation successful Europe. He had a abbreviated spell astatine Gil Vicente afterwards earlier retiring from nonrecreational football.
How erstwhile clubs paid tribute to Rufai
Legit.ng reported connected however former clubs paid tribute to Peter Rufai aft the legendary goalkeeper passed distant astatine the property of 61 aft a agelong conflict with illness.
He played for galore clubs successful Europe, including those successful Belgium, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands, astir of which paid tribute to his publication to their clubs.
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Source: Legit.ng