Popularly known as Dodomayana, Rufai earned 65 caps for Nigeria and featured at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals.

He was also part of the Super Eagles squad when Nigeria won a second Africa Cup of Nations trophy in Tunisia in 1994, beating Zambia 2-1.

“We mourn the passing of legendary Super Eagles goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, a giant of Nigerian football and a 1994 AFCON champion,” the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said in a post on social platform X.

“Your legacy lives on between the sticks and beyond,” NFF said.

In a statement the NFF said Rufai had “died in Lagos following a period of illness”.

NFF general secretary Mohammed Sanusi, said Rufai’s death was “really shocking”.

Rufai played for several Nigerian clubs before he moved to play overseas in Benin, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.