Why a Premier League legend once admitted his own goal should not have counted

Cultures · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Known as The Yak, Nigerian striker Yakubu Ayegbeni became one of the most prolific African goalscorers in Premier League history. Beyond his 96 league goals, he is remembered for a rare moment of sporting honesty: admitting a goal he was credited with should have been disallowed for a handball.

Born in Benin City, Yakubu Ayegbeni began his journey playing barefoot on the streets until receiving his first pair of boots at age 12. His professional trajectory accelerated after Israeli club Maccabi Haifa signed him from Julius Berger for $300,000. It was in the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League that he first gained international attention, notably scoring a hat-trick against Olympiakos and a penalty in a 3–0 victory over Manchester United.

Yakubu’s impact in England was immediate. After joining Portsmouth on loan in January 2003, he helped the club secure the First Division title. He would go on to play for Middlesbrough, Everton, and Blackburn Rovers, amassing 96 Premier League goals—the fourth-highest total for an African player. His tenure at Everton was particularly notable; in the 2007–08 season, he scored 21 goals in all competitions, becoming the first player for the club to reach 20 goals in a single season since Peter Beardsley.

His career was marked by both high-scoring feats and moments of controversy. In November 2011, while playing for Blackburn Rovers, he was involved in a tactical ruse during a 3–3 draw against Wigan Athletic. After a teammate crossed the ball for a goal, Yakubu candidly admitted post-match that he had not touched the ball as implied, and that the goal should not have stood. This honesty contrasted with his reputation as a clinical finisher who thrived under the chant, Feed the Yak and he will score.

Internationally, Yakubu represented Nigeria at four African Cup of Nations finals and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Despite his success, his international career included a 2004 dismissal from the national squad for indiscipline and a famous missed open goal from three yards against South Korea in 2010. He retired from professional football in November 2017, leaving behind a legacy as a powerful, if occasionally enigmatic, striker who defined a specific era of English football.

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