Midfielder Noam Emeran says he is ready to create his own legacy with Rwanda as the young forward prepares for his first Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with Amavubi. The 23-year-old, who plays for Swiss top-tier side FC Stade Lausanne-Ouchy, was speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of Rwanda’s 2027 AFCON qualifier against Liberia on September 25. Born in France to a Rwandan mother and former Rwanda international Emeran Nkusi, Noam said representing Rwanda has always been part of his identity, although he initially felt he was not ready to make the commitment. “I always knew I would be able to represent Rwanda because my mother is from here and my father also played for the country. I always knew I would be able to represent the country, but I felt like I wasn’t ready,” Emeran told journalists on Tuesday. ALSO READ: ‘Our objective is to qualify for AFCON 2027’ — Mickels Rwanda Football Federation officials had approached the forward on several occasions, but he kept their requests on hold before finally committing to Amavubi in May. The young midfielder said he now feels more prepared to take on the responsibility of representing the national team. “Today, I’m more mature, more responsible, and I come in and help the team achieve something,” he said. His international debut also carries a personal significance. His father represented Rwanda but never had the opportunity to play at an AFCON tournament. Noam now hopes to achieve what his father could not. “As I said before, that was my father’s moment, and now it’s my moment to represent the country,” he said. Emeran is targeting more than simply earning a place in the squad. He wants to help Rwanda qualify for AFCON 2027 and make an impact at the tournament. “Today I’m here to try and do my best with the team we have, to make AFCON as strong as possible, and to achieve even more. We’ll see how it goes, but we’ll be here to do something great,” he said. ALSO READ: Constantine ‘focused on Liberia’ as Amavubi begin AFCON 2027 campaign Ready for competition Emeran’s arrival adds another attacking option to a Rwanda squad that continues to introduce new faces, including in-form Sabah FC striker Joy-Lance Mickels and his brothers Joy Slayd and Leroy Jacques. The youngster welcomed the competition for places, saying he is ready to fight for his position. “We play football, so in football there will always be competition. That’s what the coach tried to create for me: a highly competitive group,” he said. Emeran describes himself as a fast and technical player who enjoys attacking spaces behind defenders. “I’m a fast, technical player, and I really like attacking the spaces behind defenders. I’m ready to do those things for the team,” he said. For Emeran, however, his return to Rwanda is about more than football. He said he has been impressed by the facilities and the progress being made around the national team. “I think they’re better than we imagine. We have good facilities. We can move forward and we have a good foundation,” he said. With his first AFCON qualifying campaign now underway, Emeran has the opportunity to begin writing his own story in Rwandan colours while carrying on the legacy of his father.
