Finidi George rallies ex teammates for Rufai family

Super Eagles legend and current Rivers United head coach Finidi George says former teammates of the recently departed Peter Rufai should come together to support the family in this sorrowful period, www.aclsports.com reports.

George, 54, played with Rufai for Nigeria’s senior national team between 1993 and 1998 and was left “surprised” by the news of the demise of his former captain who died on Thursday July 3, 2025 at 61.

“The news came as a surprise to me but from what I read, they said he was a bit ill and I’ve not seen him recently in any public scene so for me it is a sad one.

“He was somebody that was helping me while I was coming up in the national team. I think it’s a very sad one for us. Yes that’s life and sometimes, things like this happen,” began El Finito to www.aclsports.com

Finidi, who lost his sister to the cold hands of death just three years ago empathize with the Rufai family and assured that the former teammates of Dodo Mayana will do what they can to bring succour.

“I passed through it three years ago so I know how the family will be feeling at this point. We will try to come together when that time is right to do something for the family as well. Talking about something like this for me is a sad one.

Asked who the late Peter Rufai was off the pitch, Finidi says he was a very kind person.

“He was a very kind person, tries to support the young ones with advice and all. Nothing negative about him, he was always very lively, always cracking jokes. Off the pitch he is a very good and kind person,” submitted the 1995 UEFA Champions League winner.

Finidi George played with Peter Rufai in Nigeria’s green and white colours in three different competitions; the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations as well as the FIFA World Cup tournaments in 1994 and 1998.