{{Short description|Nigerian footballer (1963–2025)}} {{Use British English|date=June 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Peter Rufai | image = Peter_Rufai_portrait.jpg | caption = Rufai with Nigeria in 1998 | alt = black male with distinguished square features and uniquely pock-marked face, short afro hair and wearing sporting jersey | birth_date = {{birth date|1963|8|24|df=y}} | birth_place = Lagos, Nigeria | death_date = {{death date and age|2025|7|3|1963|8|24|df=y}} | death_place = Lagos, Nigeria | height = 1.87 m | position = Goalkeeper | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = 1980–1984 | clubs1 = Stationery Stores | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 1985 | clubs2 = Femo Scorpions | caps2 = | goals2 = | years3 = 1986–1987 | clubs3 = Dragons de l'Ouémé | caps3 = | goals3 = | years4 = 1987–1991 | clubs4 = Lokeren | caps4 = 206 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 1991–1993 | clubs5 = Beveren | caps5 = | goals5 = | years6 = 1993–1994 | clubs6 = Go Ahead Eagles | caps6 = 12 | goals6 = 0 | years7 = 1994–1997 | clubs7 = Farense | caps7 = 62 | goals7 = 0 | years8 = 1997 | clubs8 = Hércules | caps8 = 10 | goals8 = 0 | years9 = 1997–1999 | clubs9 = Deportivo La Coruña | caps9 = 9 | goals9 = 0 | years10 = 1999–2000 | clubs10 = Gil Vicente | caps10 = 1 | goals10 = 0 | totalcaps = +300 | totalgoals = 0 | nationalyears1 = 1983–1998 | nationalteam1 = Nigeria | nationalcaps1 = 65 | nationalgoals1 = 1 | medaltemplates = }}
'''Peter Rufai''' {{Audio|LL-Q34311 (yor)-Tunmise123-Peter Rufai.wav|Listen|help=no}}(24 August 1963 – 3 July 2025) was a Nigerian professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.<ref>[https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/destino-90s/peter-rufai/rufai-o-principe-que-nao-quis-ser-rei-sou-um-filho-de-portugal?_ga=2.129971340.1098483925.1607294723-763065413.1602873581 Rufai, o Príncipe que não quis ser Rei: «Sou um filho de Portugal»] maisfutebol.iol.pt</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://punchng.com/just-in-super-eagles-legendary-goalkeeper-peter-rufai-dies-at-61/|title=Super Eagles legendary goalkeeper Peter Rufai dies at 61|first=Makua|last=Ubanagu|newspaper=The Punch|date=3 July 2025}}</ref> Having begun his career with Stationery Stores, he competed professionally abroad in Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain in a senior career that lasted 20 years.
Rufai represented Nigeria in two World Cups and as many Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
==Club career== {{more sources section|date=July 2025}} Born in Lagos, Rufai started his career in his country, playing with Stationery Stores and Femo Scorpions. He moved to Benin in 1986, with Dragons de l'Ouémé.
At a more professional level Rufai spent six years in Belgium, with Sporting Lokeren<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140306193054/http://www.sporting.be/site/oud-spelers?pid=187 Rufai Peter]; at KSC Lokeren {{in lang|nl}}</ref> and K.S.K. Beveren, although he appeared sparingly. In the 1993–94 season he played 12 matches for Dutch neighbours Go Ahead Eagles, which finished 12th in the Eredivisie.
In 1994, Rufai started a Portuguese adventure with Farense. In his first year, he was instrumental as the Algarve side only conceded 38 goals in 34 matches, qualifying to the UEFA Cup for the first time ever. His solid performances earned him a transfer to La Liga, but he struggled to start for lowly Hércules during his stay, in an eventual relegation.
However, Rufai signed with established Deportivo La Coruña the ensuing summer, backing up another African, Jacques Songo'o, for two seasons – this included keeping a clean sheet in a January 1998 home win against Tenerife (1–0) as the Cameroonian was suspended.<ref name="DEPOR">{{Cite web |url=http://deportivo-la-coruna.com/profiles/pastplayers/rufai.html |title=Deportivo archives |access-date=8 December 2009 |archive-date=5 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205235247/http://deportivo-la-coruna.com/profiles/pastplayers/rufai.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> He then returned to Portugal for one final year, with modest Gil Vicente, also being second-choice.
Rufai returned to Spain in 2003, settling in the country and opening a goalkeeper's school.<ref name="DEPOR"/>
==International career== Rufai earned 65 caps for Nigeria featuring at three AFCON while emerging victorious in the three semi-final penalty shootouts.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ajala |first1=Opeyemi|title= Peter Rufai: Jaja from Opobo who defied the odds|url=https://www.thecable.ng/peter-rufai-jaja-from-opobo-who-defied-the-odds/ |access-date=19 July 2025 |date=19 July 2025|newspaper=TheCable}}</ref> and represented the nation at two FIFA World Cups in 1994 and 1998 as their first-choice goalkeeper<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/122088.stm World: Africa – Old guard in charge]; BBC News, 29 June 1998</ref> and also helped the ''Super Eagles'' win the 1994 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tables/94a-det.html African Nations Cup 1994 – Final Tournament Details] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090604180903/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/94a-det.html |date=4 June 2009 }}; at RSSSF</ref>
On 24 July 1993, during a CAN qualifying match against Ethiopia, Rufai scored a penalty in a 6–0 home win.<ref>[http://www.11v11.com/matches/nigeria-v-ethiopia-24-july-1993-244582/ Nigeria v Ethiopia, 24 July 1993] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206234007/https://www.11v11.com/matches/nigeria-v-ethiopia-24-july-1993-244582/ |date=6 December 2019 }}; at 11v11</ref>
==Personal life and death== Rufai was the son of a tribal king in the region of Idimu. In early 1998, as his father died, he was allowed by his club (Deportivo) to return to Nigeria to discuss the succession, but turned down the status for himself.<ref name="DEPOR"/>
He was married to Stella Rufai and had three children: A son, Tunde, and two daughters, Tutu and Abiodun. Rufai also had other children outside his marriage; one of them, Senbaty, played as a midfielder, having tried for Sunshine Stars F.C. in the Nigeria Premier League.<ref>He died on July 2025. Peter was also a grandfather of two by his first daughter Tutu. [http://thepmnews.com/2009/03/13/nigerian-league-is-physical-%e2%80%94amine ‘Nigerian League Is Physical’ – Amine]{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}; PM News, 13 March 2009</ref>
Rufai died following a prolonged illness, on July, the 3rd, 2025, at the age of 61.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radionigerialagos.gov.ng/ex-super-eagles-goalkeeper-peter-rufai-is-dead/|title=Ex-Super Eagles Goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, is dead – Radio Nigeria Lagos}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {| class="wikitable" |- !scope="col"|No. !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !scope="col"|Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition |- | align="center"|1 || 24 July 1993 || Surulere Stadium, Lagos, Nigeria|| {{fb|ETH|1991}} || align="center"|'''6'''–0 || align="center"|6–0 || 1994 African Cup of Nations qualification |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{ForaDeJogo}} * {{BDFutbol|2244}} * {{NFT|13871}} * {{FIFA|57197}}
{{Navboxes | title = Nigeria squads | bg = #008751 | fg = white | bordercolor = #00703C | list = {{Nigeria squad 1988 African Cup of Nations}} {{Nigeria squad 1994 African Cup of Nations}} {{Nigeria squad 1994 FIFA World Cup}} {{Nigeria squad 1995 King Fahd Cup}} {{Nigeria squad 1998 FIFA World Cup}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rufai, Peter}} Category:1963 births Category:2025 deaths Category:20th-century Nigerian sportsmen Category:Yoruba sportspeople Category:Nigerian men's footballers Category:Footballers from Lagos Category:Men's association football goalkeepers Category:Nigeria Professional Football League players Category:AS Dragons FC de l'Ouémé players Category:Belgian Pro League players Category:KSC Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen players Category:KSK Beveren players Category:Eredivisie players Category:Go Ahead Eagles players Category:Primeira Liga players Category:S.C. Farense players Category:Gil Vicente F.C. players Category:La Liga players Category:Hércules CF players Category:Deportivo de La Coruña players Category:Nigeria men's international footballers Category:1994 FIFA World Cup players Category:1998 FIFA World Cup players Category:1988 African Cup of Nations players Category:1994 African Cup of Nations players Category:1995 King Fahd Cup players Category:Africa Cup of Nations–winning players Category:Nigerian expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Benin Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Benin Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Belgium Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Portugal Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Spain