Super Eagles legend and current Rivers United coach Finidi George has expressed deep sorrow following the death of his former teammate Peter Rufai, IsaGoal can report.
In an interview with ACLSports, Finidi urged former Super Eagles players to unite in helping the family of the late goalkeeper through this painful period.
Rufai, who passed away at 61 on Thursday, July 3, 2025, shared Nigeria’s national team dressing room with Finidi between 1993 and 1998.
“I was surprised when I heard the news,” Finidi said. “They said he had been ill, but I hadn’t seen him in public for a while.”
He recalled how Rufai played a guiding role in his early years with the Super Eagles and spoke of how much the loss weighs on him.
“He was always supporting us young players with advice,” Finidi added. “He was lively and always joking—off the pitch, a genuinely kind person.”
The former Ajax winger said he relates deeply with Rufai’s family, having lost his sister three years ago.
“I know how they feel,” he said. “When the time is right, we’ll come together to do something meaningful for them.”
Both legends featured together in the 1994 AFCON and the FIFA World Cups of 1994 and 1998 in Nigeria’s iconic green and white kit.
This article was updated 3 weeks ago