Google releases a Doodle in honor of Rashidi Yekini’s posthumous 60th birthday.

The Google Doodle honors Rashidi Yekini, the legendary football player who was born on this day in 1963 in Kaduna, Nigeria. Yekini’s early years were difficult due to homelessness and poverty; he worked as a mechanic and welder to make ends meet, but his real passion was football, and he soon started practicing in front of scouts. In 1981, he joined UNTL FC, a Kaduna football club. Yekini was nicknamed the “Goals father” for his skill at sneaking shots past the goalkeeper.

The gifted striker then joined the Shooting Stars, where he scored 45 goals in 53 appearances. He became the first player from Nigeria to win African Footballer of the Year in 1983 thanks to his incredible scoring prowess. He assisted in getting the Shooting Stars to the African Champions Cup finals the following year.

He represented football teams in Spain, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Tunisia, Switzerland, and Greece in addition to Nigeria. He was the best scorer in the league in the 1993–94 season and won the Bola de Prata (Silver Ball) while he was a player for Vitória Setúbal, a Portuguese team.

Yekini assisted the Super Eagles, Nigeria’s national side, in earning a spot in the 1994 World Cup. On June 21, Nigeria played Bulgaria, and Yekini made it a memorable match. Not only did he score the opening goal of the match, but it was also Nigeria’s first goal in the World Cup. He cheered and let out happy tears as he sprinted into the net, clutching it with both arms, overcome with enthusiasm and pride. It is regarded by many as one of the most famous goal celebrations in football history, and the Doodle artwork from today was inspired by it.

He continued to play for the Super Eagles for a little more than 14 years, during which time he made one more World Cup appearance in 1998. He scored 37 goals in his 58 games for Nigeria, still holding the record for most goals scored for the nation.