Peter Rufai he former Super Eagles goalkeeper is dead. He passed this morning aged 61, after a prolonged illness.

Rufai aka. Dodo Mayana is considered the best goallie to ever man eagles’ nets.

With 65 appearances, a 94’ AFCON title, 1994, 1998 FIFA World cups appearances and three AFCON appearances, 1984, 88 and 94. He was an integral part of the Golden Generation. In 23 major competitive appearances for Nigeria, he managed 13 clean sheets. In 1993, he scored a penalty for Nigeria, in a 6-0 trashing of Ethiopia. He was born in royalty. When his father passed, he was next in line, but he humbly rejected it to focus on football. In 2012, few days after his mother’s passing, Peter Rufai slumped and fell into a brief coma. In 2023, he suggested that Super eagles goal keeping crisis is due to lack of grooming and succession plans. Before his death, Rufai was working on becoming a football coach. Rufai played in Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Netherland, from a journey that started in a small Lagos club, Stationery Stores F.C. He went on to play for 20yrs, retiring at Gil Vicente in July 2000. In 2003, he started a GoalKeeper school in Spain. Peter Rufai was a modern sweeper and ball playing goalkeeper in an era when it wasn’t popular.