By Wale Mustapha
Legendary Nigerian striker Nwankwo Kanu, has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic passing of his former teammate Peter Rufai and Portuguese international Diogo Jota, calling it a “dark day in football.”
Rufai, a revered figure in Nigerian football, died on Thursday after a prolonged illness.
In a separate tragedy, Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother André reportedly lost their lives in a car accident in Spain.
Reacting to the devastating news via his official X account, Kanu described the twin losses as heartbreaking and difficult to process.
“A dark day in football today. We lost an African legend, Peter Rufai. May his soul rest well. Amen,” Kanu wrote.
“Hard to post this… may your spirit continue to inspire all of us and future generations. RIP. Condolences to your family.”
“Sad, sad, sad… RIP Diogo Jota.”
Peter Rufai, a former Nigeria No. 1 goalkeeper, was a key part of the Super Eagles’ golden generation, featuring at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups.
Jota, aged 27, had been a prominent player for Liverpool and the Portuguese national team, known for his versatility and attacking prowess.
The global football community continues to grieve these immense losses, united in remembrance of two lives that inspired countless fans across continents.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
