‘He is the greatest’ – Sunday Oliseh names Yekini as the best striker Nigeria has ever had
Former Super Eagles star Sunday Oliseh has declared Rashidi Yekini as the greatest Nigerian striker of all time. Nigeria has produced several exceptional strikers, including Daniel Amokachi, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Nwankwo Kanu, Obafemi Martins, and Victor Ikpeba. However, Oliseh believes Yekini stands out among them.
Having played alongside many strikers during his career, Oliseh considers Yekini to be unparalleled. In response to a post on X commemorating the 30th anniversary of Samson Siasia’s goal against Argentina in the 1994 World Cup, Oliseh praised both Yekini and Siasia.
Oliseh wrote, “Samson was simply exceptional. Look at his first-touch control to dribble the defender, his composure & the world-class finish. Yekini’s intelligence to first attract many players to himself before releasing Sammy with the assist is why he is the greatest striker Nigeria has ever had!!”
Yekini scored 37 goals in 62 games, making him Nigeria’s all-time top scorer. He was named African Footballer of the Year in 1993. In the 1994 World Cup, Yekini scored Nigeria’s first-ever goal in the tournament during a 3-0 victory over Bulgaria and was the top scorer in the 1992 and 1994 AFCON tournaments.
Yekini’s legacy is fondly remembered, especially by those like Oliseh who shared the field with him. Yekini passed away in 2012 at the age of 48 after a period of illness.
