Like most nations on the continent and the world, football is the most popular sport in Rwanda.
Despite being an average footballing country, however, Rwanda has over the years produced generations of football stars such as the famous group that qualified Amavubi to the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Tunisia.
It was the historic first and only time that Rwanda ever competed at Africa’s biggest stage. Results may have since slumped, but young talents never stopped coming out.
In today’s issue, Weekend Sport looks at the rise of Innocent Nshuti, currently one of the most sensational forwards in domestic football.
Nshuti, 21, joined the APR academy in 2014 before earning promotion to the club’s first team in September 2016. Courtesy.
Born in December 1998, in the Northern Province’s Musanze District, Nshuti is the third child from a family of five – three boys and two girls.
The forward’s talent and speed was so obvious from early on. At the age of 13, just a few months after joining the Musanze Youth Training Centre in 2011, Nshuti was by far the finest talent in the academy as he quickly rose to earn his call-up in the Rwanda U17 team the following year.
Early days
Inspired by his modest background and experience from informal street football from the age of 8, Nshuti quickly adopted to formal training and continued to impress coaches and fans alike.
After two years with Musanze training centre, his potential was noticed APR academy staff and he was invited for trials in Kigali. Needless to say, he was immediately snapped up.
But, with his captivating style and scoring instinct, Nshuti was too good for his teammates and opponents in youth competitions. He would not stay in the academy setup for long.
Stunning rise
In September 2016, three months before his 18th birthday, he was promoted to the first team and scored in his maiden appearance for the military side during a 4-0 win over DR Congo side Dauphin Noirs in a friendly match.
"My debut for the senior team remains such a big highlight of my career,” he told Weekend Sport in an exclusive interview this week. "I knew I had a long way to go to break into the starting eleven, but deep inside me I also knew that I had proven [to coaches] that I had potential.”
"Not everyone gets a chance to score on their debut.”
The hunger to earn playing time inspired him to work hard and get the most out of every minute he got on the pitch. And, his efforts were rewarded as he sealed a regular spot in the start squad not long into the 2016/2017 Rwanda Premier League season.
He was integral in helping APR to win the 2017 Peace Cup title after a disappointing league campaign where they finished third with 57 points, 16 behind champions Rayon Sports and four adrift of runners-up Police.
‘Surprised’ to play CHAN 2018
Nshuti’s consistency and ability to cause trouble to opponent defenders did not make him one of the finest forwards in the country but it also won him a call-up to the national team and went on to represent Rwanda at the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) finals in Morocco.
Unfortunately, Nshuti regrets, Amavubi were eliminated from the group stage when they were very so close to reaching the quarter-finals having collected four points from the first two games and needing just a draw against Libya in the final group match. The latter won in injury time.
"Everything was moving very fast, and I have to say it was by God’s grace. I probably was not the most hard-working player,” he recalls. "All I fought for at the club was playing time, it is that same relentlessness that earned the national team call-up.”
"It came as a surprise to me.”
After the nightmare exit from the CHAN 2018, Nshuti shifted his focus back on domestic season and inspired APR to their record-extending 17th league title and a qualification to the 2018-19 CAF Champions League.
Short-lived move to Tunisia
After his stellar 2017-18 season, Nshuti was signed by Tunisian side Stade Tunisien on a three-year deal in July 2018.
However, he played for the Stade Tunisien only for a few months as the club was immediately hit with a financial crisis and was forced to release most of their foreign players.
"The club had disagreements with its sponsors and what followed was a serious crisis. I was not going to play for free, so I decided to come back home.”
Nshuti signing his troubled three-year deal with Stade Tunisien in July 2018. File.
After a brief stint with Stade Tunisien, Nshuti returned in the country in early 2019 and was welcomed back by his parent club APR who instantly offered him on a three-year contract.
The 21-year old won his second league title with the black-and-white outfit last month after the local football governing body (Ferwafa) decided to end the 2019-20 Rwanda Premier League at match-day 23 of the 30-game season due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nshuti (R) was part of Rwanda’s 23-man squad at the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) finals in Morocco. Courtesy.
Nshuti stunningly rose from the national U17 youth team through to the U-20 and U-23 ranks to the senior team just in four years – between 2014 and 2018.
Inspired by Jimmy Gatete
"When I was young, one of my uncles used to take me to APR games, watching Jimmy [Gatete] was such a great feeling and from thereon I wanted to be and play like him when I grew up.” Retired striker Gatete, currently based in the United States, played a critical role as Rwanda defied the odds to qualify for the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Tunisia.
At world stage, Nshuti is a big fan for Polish striker Robert Lewandoski. He also is also a diehard supporter of Spanish giants Real Madrid and England’s Manchester United.