Meet Rusheshangoga, one of Rwanda's most prolific fullbacks

APR FC and Amavubi Stars right-back Michel Rusheshangoga, is one of the most celebrated youngsters on Rwandan football—his quick rise to the top has caught the eye of whoever takes trouble to follow local football. Born in a non-football background, he has persisted, worked very hard and defied all odds to grow up into one of the country’s best footballers of the current crop of players. He is the same generation with APR FC teammates Emery Bayisenge, Andrew Buteera, Charles Tibingana, Rayon Sports’ Robert Ndatimana, Faustin Usengimana as well as Belgium-based Salomon Nirisarike among others. Saturday Sports magazine caught up with the 20-year old Rusheshangoga, one of the most sensational defenders in local football currently. Early days Football has always been his favorite sport since childhood. He says: “I have never tried any others sport, but I never thought I he could become the player I am today.” “I started having high interest in football when I was barely seven-year old, which got my parents worried that I would end up failing and/or abandoning school but family and friends calmed them that I could succeed in class and play football simultaneously. Luckily, they understood.” Few years later, he joined Muhanga-based J.S Football Academy, thanks to the academy coach Michel Niyonsaba, who scouted him. During his academy days, he used to play as a right-winger until mid-2008, when he was selected to join Ferwafa Football Academy which later turned into Isonga FC. Major silverware From 2010 to 2013, Rusheshangoga helped his school, APE Rugunga to win four consecutive national inter-schools championships football titles. He helped the school reach in the semi-finals of the East African Post-Primary, FEASSSA Games in 2011 in Mbarara, Uganda and in 2012 in Bujumbura, Burundi respectively. Rusheshangoga helped youthful Isonga FC to finish sixth in their maiden season (2011/2012) in the national football league. In September 2012, Rusheshangoga and seven other youngsters from Isonga joined APR FC. The young squad went on to help the army side finish first runners-up in the league, reach semi-finals of the Peace Cup and final of CECAFA Kagame Cup in Darfur, Sudan. While featuring for APR FC in his second season (2013/2014), he played a key role as the army side won their record-extending 14th league title on top of winning the Peace cup title and reached the final of the Cecafa Kagame Cup held in Kigali last month. National team Since 2009, Rusheshangoga has featured for national football teams at all levels namely youth (U-17) team, U-20 and senior Amavubi. His first international match was a friendly between Rwanda and Ghana in Ghana held in mid-2010, the Black starlets trounced the junior wasps 5-0. And as preparation for the 2011 Africa U-17 Youth Championships that was supposed to be hosted in Kigali, Ferwafa sent the U-17 team to the 2010 CECAFA U-20 Championships held in Asmara. Rusheshangoga was part of that team that finished fourth behind champions Uganda, hosts Eritrea and Kenya. The following year, Rwanda hosted the African U-17 Championships and Rusheshangoga helped then team Rwanda finishing first runners-up after losing in the final to Burkina Faso, hence qualifying for Fifa World Cup 2011 in Mexico. Rusheshangoga played in all Rwanda’s group stage matches at the U-17 World Cup. Rwanda was drawn in the same pool with England, Canada and Uruguay. From 2011 to 2013, the flying right-back was featuring for national U-20 team. During the two-year career in the junior team, his biggest tournament was the 2013 Francophone Games staged in Nice, France from September 5 to 16. However, they got knocked-out in the group stages. Rusheshangoga has received 16 full international caps since making his senior Amavubi debut in late 2012. His first official match for the team, Rwanda won 2-0 over Eritrea. Ever since, he has been regularly named in the team although he was not always been a regular in the first eleven. This year, he was part of the Amavubi Stars that beat Libya 3-0 in Kigali and won 2-0 over Congo Brazzaville in the AFCON 2015 qualifiers. Future plans Rusheshangoga has one year left of his contract with APR FC but he is willing to sign extension when the right time comes. He says, “APR is my family, I have one season on my contract but I’m not worried because I believe they will give me a contract extension when the time comes.” The senior six candidate still has a wish deep inside him to play professional football after his first trial at Royal Antwerp, Belgium in 2011 ended in failure due to what he calls reasons “beyond him”. He acknowledges that he owes his current status as a full Rwandan international to many people including; Michel Niyonsaba of JS Academy, Aloys Kanamugire and Richard Tardy in U-17 team, Eric Nshimiyimana (Isonga, APR and Amavubi) and Vincent Mashami at APR FC. Who is Rusheshangoga? Born Michel Rusheshangoga on August 25, 1994 in DR Congo to Andre Sebaganwa and Abia Nyirazaninka, he is the fifth-born from a family of seven children—five boys and two girls. Rusheshangoga is strongly committed in relationship with his childhood sweetheart, Nadia Umutoni. The couple has been together for the last five years. Former Isonga FC defender attended E.R.G Muhanga primary school before going to Nyarugenge-based APE Rugunga from 2008, he is currently in senior six pursuing History-Economics-Geography (HEG) combination. Not because it’s the club he is serving, Rusheshangoga is supporter of the military side APR since his childhood, he is also a fan of Arsenal FC in English Premier League. In national teams, he supports France and Amavubi. “I support France because its squad includes many black players. For the case of Amavubi, it’s not because I play for the team but because it’s my country, I’m a patriot,” he says with a real grin. Rusheshangoga was inspired by former APR FC and Rwanda’s international Erias Ntaganda, who currently plays for Espoir FC as a defender, while Bayern Munich captain Philip Lahm is his idol in international football. His hobbies include playing and watching football, watching movies, music and hanging out with friends. editorial@newtimes.co.rw