Black Thursday: Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Peter Rufai dies at 61

Nigeria has been thrown into mourning following the death of legendary Super Eagles goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, who passed away in the early hours of Thursday at the age of 61 after a prolonged illness, Soccernet.ng reports.

Rufai, fondly known as “Dodo Mayana,” was a household name in Nigerian football, remembered for his heroic performances between the sticks for the national team, particularly during the Super Eagles’ golden era in the 1990s.

Born in Lagos, Rufai began his football journey with Stationery Stores and Femo Scorpions before moving to the Benin Republic in 1986 to join AS Dragons FC de l'Ouémé.

His exploits earned him a move to Europe, where he spent six years in Belgium with Lokeren and Beveren, albeit with limited appearances.

In the 1993–94 season, he joined Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles, playing 12 matches in the Eredivisie before moving to Portugal’s SC Farense in 1994.

Rufai’s first season at Farense was memorable, as he helped the club qualify for the UEFA Cup for the first time in its history by conceding only 38 goals in 34 matches.

His performances attracted the attention of Spanish side Hércules CF, and later Deportivo de La Coruña, where he served as a backup to Cameroonian goalkeeper Jacques Songo’o. He famously kept a clean sheet in a 1–0 victory over Tenerife in January 1998 while Songo’o was suspended.

Rufai later returned to Portugal for one final season with Gil Vicente before retiring. In 2003, he moved back to Spain, where he set up a goalkeeping school to nurture young talents.

On the international stage, Peter Rufai earned 65 caps for Nigeria and was the first-choice goalkeeper at the FIFA World Cups in 1994 and 1998.

️ Forever in our hearts, Dodo Mayana.

We mourn the passing of legendary Super Eagles goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, a giant of Nigerian football and a 1994 AFCON champion.

Your legacy lives on between the sticks and beyond.

Rest well, Peter Rufai. #SuperEagles #AFCON pic.twitter.com/xMDApRotVR

— The NFF (@thenff) July 3, 2025

He played a crucial role in Nigeria’s victorious 1994 Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Tunisia and made history on 24 July 1993 when he scored from the penalty spot in a 6–0 thrashing of Ethiopia in a CAN qualifier.

Rufai’s death has sparked an outpouring of grief across the Nigerian football community.