From 2011 World Cup Glory to Nowhere: The Sad Fate of Rwanda’s U17 Players

It was once expected that the players who represented Rwanda in the U17 FIFA World Cup would be the future of Rwandan football. Hopes were high that some of them would secure contracts with top European clubs or other competitive leagues. However, today, many of them are either struggling in lower divisions or have disappeared from the football scene altogether.

Meanwhile, the players they faced in that tournament have gone on to become global football stars. A prime example is Raheem Sterling, who tormented Bayisenge Emery when Rwanda played against England in Mexico. Sterling now plays for Arsenal in the English Premier League.

The year 2011 remains unforgettable for Rwandan football fans, as it marked the country's debut in a major FIFA tournament, the U17 World Cup. Many saw it as the beginning of a bright future, with expectations that Rwandan players would attract scouts from top clubs and eventually strengthen the senior national team, Amavubi.

However, those hopes never materialized. Among the few players who managed to progress were defender Bayisenge Emery, Usengimana Faustin and Others, but even they did not reach the level expected of World Cup players. Many of their teammates faded into obscurity.

In contrast, several players from other countries who participated in the 2011 U17 World Cup became highly sought-after by major clubs and turned into global stars. 

Besides Raheem Sterling, who shined at Liverpool, Manchester City, and now Arsenal, other notable names from that tournament include Nathaniel Chalobah and Kurt Zouma, who played for Chelsea, Aymeric Laporte, who made a name for himself at Manchester City, and Nathan Redmond, among others.

Emery Bayisenge: "We Lacked People to Think for Us"

Bayisenge Emery, who captained Rwanda’s U17 team in 2011, revealed in an interview with Aime Niyibizi Empire that despite representing their country on the world stage, they did not receive the same support as their counterparts from other nations. 

He emphasized that while other teams had player agents and scouts actively securing opportunities for their young talents, Rwandan players were left without proper guidance or exposure to professional clubs.

Emery Bayisenge revealed that the Rwandan U17 players struggled due to a lack of proper management and guidance. He recalled that before the team played in the U17 World Cup, one university in the USA had expressed interest in some players, but they never found out what happened next. Being young at the time, they did not have the means to follow up on those opportunities.

Bayisenge expressed his disappointment, saying: "It pains me a lot when I look at our generation and compare it to where we are now. It truly hurts me deeply."

"We were well-prepared because, at FERWAFA Academy, we lacked nothing. I can confidently say that our training and preparation were at the level of European academies. We even visited some of them in Europe and realized that we lived in similar conditions. We had good training facilities, played on excellent pitches, had great coaches, and were surrounded by talented players."

However, things took a different turn once the U17 AFCON tournament started. Bayisenge explained that when the national team coach selected the final squad, those who were left out suffered a psychological setback, as they had all expected to play in the tournament. Unfortunately, for most of them, their football careers ended right there.

Bayisenge noted that Rwanda's best chance of producing top footballers lay in the extraordinary talents at FERWAFA Academy. Sadly, many of them were not selected for the U17 World Cup squad in 2011, and because of that, they never got the exposure needed for clubs to notice and sign them.

Even for those who played in the tournament, their careers did not flourish as expected. Many did not go beyond Rwandan clubs, and even those who played abroad failed to make a significant impact.

Bayisenge continued: "Some of our teammates were already in Europe, but I don’t know what happened to them. For example, Mugabo Alfred was playing for Arsenal’s youth team, and Kabanda Bonfils joined AS Nancy in France right after the World Cup. However, for those of us playing in Rwanda, things got worse after the tournament when they should have improved."

"After playing in the U17 World Cup, we all believed we would get opportunities to play for European clubs. Some teams were interested in us. I remember when we were in the USA, one university approached us and said they wanted players who were about to finish school. They were impressed because we had won all our friendly matches against American university teams. However, to this day, we don’t know what happened to that opportunity."

"We lacked people to think for us. Even though I was the captain, I was just a kid. I couldn’t question our representatives about why certain things didn’t happen."

"If we had people guiding us and ensuring we continued progressing after the World Cup, things would have been different. At least six or seven players from our squad should have made it to a high level."

This statement from Bayisenge highlights a major issue in Rwandan football young talents lack the proper support system to help them transition to professional careers. As a result, many promising players disappear from the football scene, despite having had the potential to succeed.

Rwanda’s 2011 in Mexico U17 World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

1.     Nzarora Marcel

2.     Ntaribi Steven

3.     Kabes Hategikimana

Defenders

4.     Michel Rusheshangoga

5.     Célestin Ndayishimiye

6.     Eugene Habyarimana

7.     Emery Bayisenge

8.     Faustin Usengimana

9.     Ndatimana Robert

Midfielders

10.Kabanda Bonfils

11.Jean Marie Rusingizandekwe

12.Charles Tibingana

13.Justin Mico

14.Sulaiman Kakira

15.Janvier Benedata

Forwards

17.Ibrahim Itangishaka

18.Farouk Saifi Ruhinda Sejuuko Ssentongo

19.Eric Nsabimana

20.Turatsinze Héritier

This squad, which was expected to be Rwanda’s golden generation, was made up of players born in 1994 and 1995, meaning the oldest among them are now 32 years old. Unfortunately, nearly all of them have retired from football.

As of today, only a few are still playing are Ntaribi Steven, Emery Bayisenge, Usengimana Faustin, Janvier Benedata, Farouk Saifi Ruhinda Sejuuko Ssentongo, and Eric Nsabimana Zidane, who currently plays for Police FC.

The talents that were expected to shine for Rwanda in football vanished like smoke due to a lack of follow-up.

Jean Marie Rusingizandekwe, who once played for Rwanda in the World Cup, has completely disappeared from the football scene.

Alfred Mugabo, who once had the opportunity to play for Arsenal's youth team, saw his football career fade away, and his whereabouts remain unknown.

On the left, you can see Raheem Sterling, who faced the Rwandan players on the field during the U17 World Cup. While none of the Rwandan players reached significant heights in their careers, Sterling went on to achieve great success, playing for top clubs such as Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City