What Is Missing for Rwanda to Shine on the Global Football Stage Despite Having Talent?

In Rwandan football, APR FC and Rayon Sports are the most dominant and popular clubs. Many local players strive to wear their jerseys because of the prestige these clubs hold. But why don’t most of them set their sights on the elite clubs of Europe, often seen as the pinnacle of football?

While several African nations like Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, and Nigeria consistently produce players excelling in top leagues such as the Premier League, La Liga, and Bundesliga, Rwandan players rarely make it beyond lower-tier leagues in Europe or Asia.

Many Rwandan players grow up believing that playing for APR FC or Rayon Sports marks the peak of their football journey. As a result, they focus more on impressing local fans rather than aiming for international opportunities.

Unlike countries with established football pipelines, Rwanda lacks professional intermediaries or agents who can connect players to top clubs abroad. This gap often leaves talented Rwandan players with limited options, forcing them to settle for lower divisions when opportunities arise.

Furthermore, Rwandan clubs rarely advance past the group stages in continental competitions like the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup. This limits international scouts’ exposure to Rwandan talent, making it even harder for players to attract attention from top-tier clubs.

Without a strong system to nurture and export talent, Rwanda's footballing potential remains underutilized, despite the abundance of skill within the country.

Rwanda is among the countries still striving to produce a top player in globally recognized leagues

Rwandan Players Lack Support to Shine: Bayisenge's Testimony

Emery Bayisenge, former captain of the Rwanda U-17 national team that participated in the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico, recently shared his frustrations about the lack of support that prevented many talented Rwandan players from reaching their full potential.

Bayisenge revealed that while they represented Rwanda at a global stage, they did not receive the same attention as players from other countries. He explained that international teams brought scouts and agents to identify talent during the tournament, a crucial factor that helped players from other nations secure contracts with top clubs.

Reflecting on their World Cup preparations, Bayisenge mentioned that some players had attracted interest from an American university. However, the opportunity never materialized because the players were young and lacked guidance.

Bayisenge said:"It’s heartbreaking when I look back. We were well-prepared at the FERWAFA Academy, trained at a level comparable to European academies. We had excellent coaches, great facilities, and talented players. But things started falling apart when the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations began. The coach selected his squad, and those left out were devastated, with some even giving up on football."

He emphasized that many exceptional players from the FERWAFA Academy never got the chance to showcase their talent at the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, which meant they missed the opportunity to impress international scouts. Even those who played in the World Cup did not progress as expected, with most remaining in Rwandan leagues or struggling to find success abroad.

Bayisenge cited examples of players like Mugabo Alfred, who briefly played for Arsenal's youth team, and Kabanda Bonfils, who joined AS Nancy in France after the World Cup. However, for the majority, their careers stagnated due to a lack of professional representation.

"After the World Cup, we believed we would join European clubs. I remember during our time in the U.S., a university expressed interest in some players because we had won friendly matches against several American universities. Unfortunately, we never knew what happened next," he added.

Bayisenge concluded by stressing the importance of having professional intermediaries to guide young talents, saying: "We lacked people to advocate for us. Even as the team captain, I was just a child and couldn’t question why certain opportunities never materialized. If we had the right support, at least six or seven players from our generation would have reached top-tier football."

His testimony highlights the urgent need for Rwanda to establish a robust talent development system with proper mentorship and international exposure to ensure future generations do not face the same fate.

In an interview, Emery Bayisenge mentioned that when it was possible for Rwanda to showcase its talent to the world, those in charge did not prioritize it, leading to potential stars leaving football prematurely

ARE RWANDANS REALLY BAD AT FOOTBALL?

When results are lacking in a particular field, many people often assume it’s due to limited knowledge or skill, labeling those involved as incompetent. However, sometimes the issue isn’t a lack of talent but rather the absence of experts to guide and structure that talent effectively.

Saying that Rwandan footballers lack talent would be far from the truth. When you compare their performance against teams with world-class players, you notice their determination and exceptional skill. They often fall short only at the final moment, leaving many wondering what prevents them from competing at the highest level.

Looking back at the U-17 FIFA World Cup held in Mexico, Rwandan players, despite not advancing far, displayed remarkable talent and played impressively. In their match against Uruguay, Rwanda narrowly lost 1-0, with the only goal coming in the 90th minute from Leonaldo Paris. Interestingly, Uruguay went on to reach the final of the tournament, highlighting how Rwanda held their ground against one of the world’s best youth teams at the time.

In their second match, Rwanda drew 0-0 against Canada, again showing resilience and skill. The third match against England also demonstrated promise. While one might expect a wide-margin defeat if Rwanda faced England, the game ended 2-0, with goals from Hallam Hope in the 68th minute and Raheem Sterling in the 86th minute. Although Rwanda was eliminated, the players showed potential for future success.

Rwandans haven’t only showcased their talent at the youth level. Even when the senior national team faces countries with world-renowned players, they often manage to compete impressively.

For instance, on September 5, 2015, Rwanda faced Ghana in a 2017 AFCON qualifier. Although Rwanda lost 1-0, the team displayed impressive skills, standing toe-to-toe with Ghana’s elite players. Ghana’s starting lineup featured Razak Braimah (who trained at Wolfsburg in Germany), Harrison Afful (formerly of Feyenoord), Baba Rahman (then at Chelsea), John Boye (famous for his time at Rennes and Metz in France), Daniel Amartey (currently at Besiktas), Wakaso Mubarak (who played for Spanish clubs like Granada and Las Palmas), the late Christian Atsu (formerly of Chelsea, Newcastle United, and Everton), Afriyie Acquah (formerly at Empoli in Italy), Jordan Ayew (then at Leicester City), Richmond Boakye-Yiadom (once at Juventus), and Andre Ayew (formerly of Nottingham Forest and Olympique Marseille).

On the other hand, Rwanda’s lineup included local talents such as Kwizera Olivier (APR FC), Rusheshangoga Michel (APR FC), Nirisarike Salomon (Saint-Truidense), Bayisenge Emery (now at Gasogi United), Sibomana Abuba (formerly at Gor Mahia), Mugiraneza Jean Baptiste (also at Gor Mahia), Mukunzi Yannick (then playing in Sweden’s second division), Niyonzima Haruna (AS Kigali), Tuyisenge Jacques (formerly at Gor Mahia), Iranzi Jean Claude (APR FC), and Rushenguziminega Quentin (emerging from lower-tier leagues in Switzerland).

Despite the star-studded Ghanaian lineup, the match ended 1-0, with Mubarak Wakaso scoring the lone goal. However, Ghana struggled throughout the game. Rwandan defender Rusheshangoga Michel earned praise for effectively shutting down Ghana’s Andre Ayew, who had just embarrassed Manchester United defenders Chris Smalling and Phil Jones the previous week while scoring against David de Gea.

Other standout Rwandan players included Tuyisenge Jacques, Mugiraneza Jean Baptiste, and Haruna Niyonzima, all of whom performed exceptionally well.

Beyond the Ghana match, Rwanda has repeatedly demonstrated its footballing potential. Memorable games include the 0-0 draw against Nigeria in Kigali, Rwanda's 2-1 victory over Nigeria in Nigeria, and the narrow 1-0 defeat against Senegal in Dakar, among others.

Several Rwandan players have consistently shown the ability to compete at higher levels, including Rusheshangoga Michel, Haruna Niyonzima, Kwizera Olivier, Jacques Tuyisenge, Emery Bayisenge, Omborenga Fitina, Niyomugabo Claude, Niyigena Clement, Muhire Kevin, and others. Unfortunately, even when given the opportunity to play abroad, many struggle to adapt to European leagues.

When Rwandans play against countries with top players in the world, they signal that their talents should not be doubted, but they lack the agents who can transfer them to major clubs

HOW IS IT ELSEWHERE?

Looking at nearby countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), you find they’ve made significant progress in football. They have several top players in European leagues, and their talented youngsters are even sought after by developed countries, which sometimes recruit them to play for their national teams.

That’s not the case for Rwanda. Beyond the lack of prominent players to represent the country, there hasn’t been a Rwandan footballer who became a global star, attracting the attention of other nations like we see with Kylian Mbappé, who has Cameroonian roots but chose to represent France.

While many talented African players end up representing European countries due to their heritage, their home nations still benefit from players who’ve gained experience in elite leagues. For example, the DRC has stars like Romelu Lukaku playing for Belgium but also boasts its own talented players, such as Yoane Wissa (Brentford, England), Axel Tuanzebe (formerly Manchester United, now at Ipswich Town, England), Samuel Essende (Augsburg, Germany), Ngal’ayeli Mukau (Lille, France), Edo Kayembe (Watford, England), Meschak Elia (Young Boys, Switzerland), Chancel Mbemba (Olympique Marseille, France), and others.

It’s not just the DRC that has produced top players who represent other countries while still having strong national teams. Cameroon, one of Africa’s football powerhouses, could have been even stronger if players like Kylian Mbappé, Joel Matip, William Saliba, Hugo Ekitike, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and others had chosen to represent them.

Despite not having those players, Cameroon still boasts a strong squad, including stars like André Onana, the legendary Samuel Eto’o, Bryan Mbeumo, André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, and others.

WERE THOSE PLAYERS BORN IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES?

While it's true that Rwanda is yet to shine on the international football stage, countries that have produced top players often benefit from talents born in developed countries. These players usually choose which national team to represent based on personal reasons, despite having African roots.

For example, Aurélien Tchouaméni has Cameroonian heritage but chose to represent France because he was born there. Similarly, Kylian Mbappé, though of Cameroonian and Algerian descent, was born in France and opted to play for the French national team.

Many African players representing their home countries were also born and raised in Europe, where they developed their skills in top football academies. Cameroonian international Bryan Mbeumo was born in France, as was Yoane Wissa, who plays for the DR Congo. Algerian star Riyad Mahrez and Senegalese striker Demba Ba were also born in France.

This shows that having world-class football stars often depends on players growing up in developed countries, where their talents receive proper nurturing and exposure. As a result, they reach international standards and become highly sought-after by clubs worldwide, ultimately benefiting their national teams and helping to inspire talent back home.

It is clear that for African countries to produce top players in the world, some of them must be born in countries where football is more developed

DO RWANDAN DIASPORA FAIL TO PRODUCE FOOTBALLERS, OR IS TALENT HIDING IN RWANDA?

The main reason for asking this question is the observation that many prominent African footballers were not born in Africa. Instead, they were born to parents of African descent, grew up as Europeans, and had the opportunity to showcase their talents in top academies. Once they matured, they chose which national teams to represent. This is why players like Yoane Wissa play for DR Congo and Demba Ba represented Senegal, despite being born outside Africa.

For Rwanda, one might wonder why no child of Rwandan origin has risen to global stardom, even if they were to represent another country besides Rwanda.

Even those with Rwandan roots are not yet making significant waves in world football. The most notable name is Belgian-born Johan Bakayoko, who plays for PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands, though he has not yet reached the status of a global football star. Similarly, French-born Noam Emeran, who developed in Manchester United's academy, is another potential talent for Rwanda. However, he has yet to establish himself as a standout player, currently competing in lower leagues in the Netherlands.

Rwandan players born in developed footballing nations also tend to compete in lower divisions. Notable examples include Hakim Sahabo, Samuel Guelette, Raphael York, Buhake Twizere Clement, and others.

In Rwandan players born in countries with more developed football systems, you often find that they do not make it to the top levels of major leagues either

IS THE RWANDAN LEAGUE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FOOTBALL STARS? THE ANSWER IS YES.

Although Rwandan clubs rarely advance far in African competitions to showcase their talents, there is solid evidence that the Rwandan league can produce players who succeed in top European leagues.

A perfect example is Gabonese footballer Warren Shavy Babicca, who played for Kiyovu Sports between 2018 and 2021. This shows that if more effort is put into scouting and promoting players in the Rwandan league, they can achieve international success. Babicca, who is now excelling in France, was not necessarily the most outstanding player during his time in Rwanda, which further highlights the league's potential.

Currently, Babicca plays for Toulouse FC in the French Ligue 1. As a midfielder, he has made 21 appearances this season, scoring 4 goals. His team sits 10th in the Ligue 1 standings with 30 points.

Shavy Babicca, who played for Kiyovu Sports, is a great example of how players who develop in Rwanda's league can become stars in global football. His journey shows that with the right support and exposure, players from Rwanda can reach the highest levels of football worldwide