Nigeria’s legendary goalkeeper Peter Rufai fondly called ‘Dodomayana’ reportedly passed on Thursday 3rd June 2025. He was 61.
According to Radio Nigeria, Rufai passed away on Thursday morning after a long illness. The illness presumably kept him away from the public in recent months.
Though his immediate family has yet to issue an obituary, news of his death has sent shockwaves through the Nigerian football community and beyond as tributes poured in for the iconic goalkeeper who stood tall between the sticks for the Super Eagles as well as Local and international clubs.
Born 24th August 1963 in Lagos, Rufai featured locally for the famous Lagos darling Club, Stationery Stores as well as Femo Scorpions of Eruwa and Beninese side, Dragon FC en route to professional football career in Europe.
He also turned out for Belgian sides, Lokeren and Beveren and Dutch side, Go Ahead Eagles. Other clubs he featured for include Portuguese sides, Farense and Gil Vincente as well as Spanish outfits, Hercules and Deportivo La Coruna.
But it was with the Super Eagles that Rufai had his days as he was the first-choice goalkeeper during the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumph and represented Nigeria at two FIFA World Cups—USA ’94 and France ’98.
Renowned for his leadership, reflexes, and charisma, Rufai who made his debut with the Super Eagles in a 1-1 draw international friendly with Egypt on 20th February 1983 earned in total 62 international with his last game in the green and white jerseys being the 4-1 scandalous loss to Denmark on 28th June 1998.
After retirement, he remained active in football development and youth mentoring through his Staruf Academy in Lagos. He also served as the coordinator of the Nigeria U23 team at a time.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has described the death of the ‘flamboyant’ goalkeeper following a period of illness as a rude shock.
“This is really, really shocking,” NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said in Abuja via an official release last night. “Peter Rufai dead? What happened? I am perplexed. We did not even know that he had been ill.
“We earnestly pray to the Almighty God to grant him eternal rest, and to comfort all his loved ones as well as the entire Nigeria football family.”
Reports said the flamboyant goal-tender, who was in and out of the Nigeria senior team for 17 years, had been ill for some weeks, before giving up the ghost at a Lagos hospital at about 6am on Thursday.
According to the NFF, another former Nigeria international Waidi Akanni confirmed that the body of one of Nigeria football’s true heroes had been deposited at a Lagos hospital.
Apart from the 1994 AFCON triumph, Rufai also won the Africa Cup of Nations silver in 1984 and 1998. He was the first-choice goalkeeper in the three championships.