The NFF, FIFA, Everton and Middlesbrough have all celebrated former Super Eagles forward, Yakubu Aiyegbeni as he clocks 36 today.
Yakubu was born in Benin City, Edo State. He started his career with Julius Berger in Lagos as a teenager in the Nigerian Premier League. He was later loaned to Portuguese club Gil Vicente.
Yakubu married Yvonne Lameen Ikhana, the daughter of former Nigerian international footballer Kadiri Ikhana, who is also the father-in-law to former Nigerian international footballer Patrick Ovie. Yakubu and Ikhana have 2 daughters named Kayla and Katriel.
He was the first African footballer to score a UEFA Champions League hat trick. He is the highest Nigerian goalscorer in the EPL (95 goals). He has the most PL hat tricks by an African player (4). He is the 2nd player to scored 4 goals in a single PL match twice for 2 teams.
He has the highest number of hat-trick by an African player in the EPL, he even became the second player in English premier league history to score 4 goals in a match twice even in different, he also became the most consistence scorer for 4 season scoring 20 goals or more each season.
“It’s Yakubu Aiyegbeni’s birthday. The bulky striker scored 21 goals in 57 appearances for the @NGSuperEagles and remains third all-time highest goal scorer for the team. Have a good one ‘The Yak,” reads a tweet on NFF twitter handle.
FIFA also felicitates with Yakubu and some of his birthday mates on their special day.
“? #HBD to @ChrisSmalling (29), @Fellaini (31), @ASAMOAH_GYAN3 (33), Yakubu Aiyegbeni (36), Torsten Frings (42), Alemao (57) & Radomir Antic (70),” FIFA tweeted.
Two of his former club, Everton and Blackburn also sent their wishes to the forward.
“Happy 3️⃣6️⃣th birthday, Yakubu! #EFC ?,” reads the tweet on the Everton Twitter handle.
“It’s also Yakubu’s birthday today!,” Blackburn Rovers tweeted.
