Rashidi Yekini remains an iconic figure in Nigerian football: his predatory instincts and clinical finishing make him a national treasure.
The striker, who fired Nigeria to the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations title, holds the record for the most goals scored for the Super Eagles. Yekini's international journey concluded following the 1998 World Cup in France, leaving behind a formidable legacy.
Despite the efforts of subsequent generations of strikers – from Obafemi Martins to Yakubu Aiyegbeni – no one has come close to matching Yekini’s efficacy. Now, a new challenger has emerged in the form of Victor Osimhen.
The Galatasaray forward has already netted 25 times for his country, a tally that places him in elite company. His raw power, intelligent movement, and clinical finishing have drawn inevitable comparisons to Yekini.
As Osimhen continues to develop, the question is: can he truly step out of the shadow of the legendary striker?
In this article, we examine five records held by Yekini that Osimhen will be aiming to break.
- All-time Super Eagles scoring record
- Goals scored in international tournaments for the Super Eagles
- Goals scored in consecutive Africa Cups of Nations
- Goals scored in multiples/bunches
- Most different opponents scored against
All-time Super Eagles scoring record
If there is a man capable of breaking Rashidi Yekini’s international scoring record, it is Victor Osimhen.
Having already netted 25 goals in 40 appearances for the Super Eagles, Yekini's haul of 37 is within the realm of possibility. However, this would require maintaining his current average of over 0.6 goals per game, a feat in itself.
Even if he achieves this remarkable consistency, dislodging Yekini from the hearts of Nigerians as the nation's all-time leading scorer will be no easy task.
Goals in senior international tournaments for Super Eagles
Rashidi Yekini scored 14 goals for Nigeria in senior international competitions (FIFA & CAF). This is a record no Nigerian player has surpassed, with Julius Aghahowa the closest with seven goals.
By contrast, Osimhen has only one senior international tournament goal to his name: his header against Equatorial Guinea at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Scoring in consecutive Africa Cups of Nations (AFCON)
Rashidi Yekini holds the record for scoring in four consecutive Africa Cup of Nations tournaments(1988, 1990, 1992, and 1994), a feat no other Nigerian footballer has achieved.
Osimhen has a chance to stretch to two consecutive AFCONs come December 2025, but would only be able to equal Yekini's record in 2029, at the earliest.
Goals in bunches
Rashidi Yekini's goal-scoring prowess for Nigeria is highlighted by his ability to score multiple goals in a single match. He netted four goals in one match against Burkina Faso, a hat-trick against Ethiopia, and seven braces for the Super Eagles.
On his part, Osimhen has a four-goal haul and a hat-trick (both against Sao Tome), but is behind in the brace count with three.
Rashidi Yekini's long list of victims
This is probably the most accessible of the five records highlighted in this piece.
Yekini's goal-scoring prowess was spread across 16 different opponents for Nigeria. Côte d'Ivoire was his most frequent victim, ironically given his three-year stint with Africa Sport.
He netted seven times against Les Eléphants, followed by Kenya (five goals) and Burkina Faso (four goals). To dispel any notion of being a flat-track bully, Yekini also scored against the likes of Egypt, Algeria, and Cameroon.
Osimhen has, so far, scored for the Super Eagles against 10 different opponents; not only is he behind Yekini, but he also falls short of Yakubu Aiyegbeni, who scored against 15 different opponents.
