The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has sent birthday wishes to legendary Super Eagles goalkeeper Peter Rufai who turned 60 on Thursday.
The NFF took to their Twitter handle to send their greetings to former international.
“Happy 60th birthday to former
@NGSuperEagles
goalkeeper and captain Peter ‘Dodo Mayana’ Rufai 🎺🎉.
“Thank you for your service!“
Born in Lagos, Rufai started his career in Nigeria playing with Stationery Stores and Femo Scorpions.
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He moved to Benin Republic in 1986, with AS Dragons FC de l’Ouémé.
He spent six years in Belgium, with K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen[2]and K.S.K. Beveren.
In 1983 he made his debut with the senior national team, won the 1994 AFCON and featured at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups.
2 Comments
Peter Rufai is a indeed a legend!
He had so many memorable games at both the national team level and at club level. He single-handedly qualified Nigeria for the 1984 Nations Cup tournament in Ivory Coast, dragged the team all the way to final in the tournament-proper and was largely responsible for Nigeria qualifying for the 1988 Olympic games and later dragged Nigeria to yet another Nations Cup final that same year in Morocco.
That Stationery Stores of Lagos reached the final of the African Cup Winners Cup in 1981 was down to Peter Rufai’s goalkeeping heroics as Stores won matches, they had no business winning. He saved a penalty in the first leg of that final in Douala against the then intimidating Union Douala to get Stores a goalless draw.
Take a bow, Mr. Rufai!
Happy birthday wishes to you!!
One of the heroes of our time.!!!
He also plied his trade in Holland, where he featured for Go Ahead Eagles FC in Eredivise. Peter Rufai remains my most admired SE goalkeeper til date. There were periods in SE when he faced stiff opposition from the leader of the SE mafias ( of blessed memory) but Clemence Westerhof found it extremely difficult to snub Rufai’s goalkeeping prowess. In fact, without mincing word Dodo Mayana stands different amongst equal.