How refusing to pass to Yekini cost me my Super Eagles place – Siasia

Femi Fabunmi

Former Super Eagles striker Samson Siasia has revealed the painful reason he was once kicked out of the Nigerian national team during his playing career.
Speaking in an interview with

Emmanuel Babayaro on UTVAfrica, the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations winner recalled how his refusal to pass the ball to legendary forward Rashidi Yekini led to his temporary exclusion from the squad by then-coach Clemens Westerhof.

Siasia explained that the incident happened during a 1994 World Cup qualifier against Ivory Coast at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan.

He admitted that instead of passing to a better-positioned Yekini, he chose to shoot, a decision Westerhof interpreted as selfish.

“That moment was one of the lowest points of my career,” Siasia said. “First was when I didn’t pass the ball to Rashidi Yekini and they had to kick me out of the team. I had to hustle my way back. Trying times are always there to make you stronger.”

The former Nantes forward insisted that not passing to Yekini was not unusual, arguing that the striker had also failed to convert some of the chances he created.

“I am a striker. Rashidi Yekini won’t give me that ball if it was him, that’s the truth. Sometimes you miss, sometimes you score. Rashidi has been one of the greatest strikers ever I have played with.

May his soul rest in peace. A lot of people talked about why I didn’t pass to him. But the one I passed, he couldn’t score either. So things happen, we don’t take it personal,” Siasia added.

Siasia, part of Nigeria’s golden generation between 1990 and 1998, said the experience taught him resilience and the importance of fighting back after setbacks.