Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Peter Rufai has revealed the circumstances that led him to reclaim his number one slot in the team ahead of the 1994 World Cup.

Speaking in an interview with The Punch, Rufai, who is regarded as one of Nigeria's best goalkeepers, described the situation at the time as the biggest challenge in his career.

He noted that he only received a call-up to the team when Nigerians protested.

"During the 1994 Nations Cup, I was not called to the national team; the coach, Clemens Westerhof, said no. However, Nigerians went into the streets and said we want Peter Rufai; we want Dodo Manyana. It was at that point that the government and all football institutions in Nigeria took a decision saying to invite Peter Rufai, and that was how they invited me to the national team," he said.

When asked how he felt about the situation, he said: "I didn’t know I was so loved by Nigerians before that incident that they would come out to ask for my call-up. My jersey number at the 1994 AFCON in Tunisia was no. 22 instead of no. 1, so that is to tell you I was the last person registered by CAF, but with that no. 22, I was the number one goalkeeper for the team, and I did my best to repay Nigerians for their faith in me as finally Nigeria won their second Nations Cup title in Tunisia 1994."