Wilfred Agbonavbare, who wasRayo Vallecano's goalkeeper between 1990 and 1996, has died from cancer. The Nigerian passed away early on Tuesday morning at the age of 48.Only 3 years ago,Agbonavbare lost his wife to breast cancer.
Wilfred's footballing career began at New Nigeria Bank and after a stint at Brentford FC in England, he moved to Rayo Vallecano, where he played for six seasons. In 1996, he signed
for Écija Balompie, where he stayed for a year.
Wilfred Agbonavbare was an international for Nigeria and in 1994 won the African Cup of Nations in Tunisia. In that same year, he also took part in the USA World Cup as Peter Rufai's substitute. His team, affectionately known as the 'Super Eagles', managed to get as far as the group of 16 stage in the tournament.
The Nigerian keeper, who was always one of the Rayo fans' favourites, was being cared for at the Príncipe de Asturias Hospital in Alcalá de Henares near Madrid.
Rayo Vallecano did their very best for Wilfred's children to fly from Nigeria to see their father before he died. To this end,half of the €21,000 raised for doña Carmen, the elderly lady who was to be evicted from her home in Vallecas and who insisted that she did not need so much money, was used.
The club did all it could to get the ex-keeper's three children over from Nigeria to see their father for the last time, but all the paperwork and bureaucratic steps to be taken were not completed in time and tragically, Wilfred died before their arrival.