Nigerian football legend, Rashidi Yekini has been rated as the fifth best player to ever grace the African Cup of Nations, while his compatriot, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha is ranked eighth overall.
Sports247 gathered that both former Super Eagles’ stars are listed on an illustrious roll call of ten top rated players who donned the colours of their various countries over the years in the continental showpiece.
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Yakini, who was AFCON top scorer in 1992 and 1994, when Nigeria won the continental title for the second time, is ranked behind Egypt’s Ahmed Hassan in first place, followed by Cameroon’s duo of Rigobert Song and Samuel Eto’o (2nd and 3rd).
Fourth placed on the roll call is legendary Egyptian goalkeeper, Essam El Hadary, while Ghana’s Abedi Pele follows Yekini on the log in sixth and another Cameroonian, Roger Milla is just ahead of Okocha in seventh spot.
Trailing behind Okocha on the top-10 AFCON Eternal All Stars roster are Laurent Pokou of Ivory Coast (9th) and the iconic heir of Abedi Pele, Andre Ayew, whose 10th spot adds a dramatic father-and-son presence.
A citation for Okocha from the analyses by Tribal Football noted: “Best known for dazzling the world on European soil for PSG and Bolton, Nigerian midfielder Okocha wasn’t half bad on his home continent either.
“He won it at the first time of asking, with the Super Eagles triumphing in 1994, but his best performances came later in his career.
“Being named the player of the tournament after spearheading Nigeria’s run to the semis in 2004 and also making the team of the tournament in 2000 and 2002.”
The verdict for Yekini stated: “From Osimhen to Yakubu to Obafemi Martins, Nigeria have had a number of top strikers over the years, but none better than all-time top scorer Yekini.
“13 of his 37 goals for the Super Eagles came at AFCON, with the man known as The Goals Father leading his nation to the title (1994) and three further finals in their golden era of the 80s and 90s.
“He was the top scorer at two of those tournaments and is right up there with the greatest forwards the tournament has ever seen.”
