Former Super Eagles defender Rabiu Afolabi has hailed Cote d’Ivoire legend Aruna Dindane as the toughest rival he faced during his career, as reported by Sportblog247.com.

Dindane, regarded as one of the most talented Ivorian attackers of all time, dominated the Ivorian football scene before Chelsea’s Didier Drogba emerged. The former ASEC Mimosas star netted 18 goals in 62 appearances for Cote d’Ivoire, featuring in four Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments and two World Cups, and securing a silver medal at the 2006 AFCON.

During his early career, Dindane spent five years each at Anderlecht and Lens, where he frequently crossed paths with Afolabi. The Nigerian centre-back played for Belgium’s Standard Liège and French clubs Sochaux and Monaco. Afolabi, who represented Nigeria at the 2002 and 2010 World Cups, faced numerous formidable strikers, including Didier Drogba.

However, Afolabi maintains that no forward posed as much difficulty as Dindane. “I played against many tough opponents, including the powerful Didier Drogba, but one particular player that everybody seems to forget is Haruna Dindane,” Afolabi told the Punch. “He was Ivory Coast’s top striker before the emergence of Didier Drogba. I played many times against him in the Belgian league when he was playing for Anderlecht, and of course, in the French league when he played for RC Lens, he was a tough one to deal with.”

Afolabi’s career highlights include winning the Austrian league title with Red Bull Salzburg in 2010 and the 2006–07 Coupe de France title with Sochaux.

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