Peter Rufai, Nigerian Football’s Emblematic Goalkeeper, prince of a tribe of Idimu (a region of lakes) who chose to devote himself to the ball before becoming king, died Thursday in his country at 61 years of age for a heart arrest while resting at his home.
Rufai defended his country in 1994 and France 1998 World Cups and wears the Hercules and Deportivo Shirts in the late 90s from the Belgium and Portugal league (Lakeren, Breven and Farense). His presence in the league was a practical testimony (he barely played eight games in deportivo), but left his mark for his unique source.
He was the son of King Rufai of Idimu and, although he did not want to talk about his blue blood, the press did not last his origin that declared that he was the heir to the throne despite not the oldest of his eight siblings but was selected in succession.
The death of his father, in 1999, surprised him while playing in Deportivo. He refused to happen to him and lost the opportunity to get to the throne: “I don’t want to be a king. If I accepted it, I couldn’t be a footballer. I knew I had a good life, because I knew how my parents lived. But that wasn’t for me. I didn’t make me happy.
“I lost the opportunity to be a king for football. I lost my father a few months before the 1998 World Cup in France. I never regretted being rejected that status, because my professional career was deeply respected,” he said in an interview with ‘The Sun Nigeria’ in 2018.
Rufai finished his stage in Deportivo, returning to Portugal to play with Gil Vicente and during the 1999/2000 his gloves. Two and a half decades later he left forever the person who could reign and change a scepter for a life under the sticks to clear the balls
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
