When you talk of football in Rwanda, everyone knows it is the most popular sport in the country.  And talking of footballers, most people think of Jimmy Gatete, Olivier Karekezi, Hamadi Katauti Ndikumana and Haruna Niyonzima among other legends.

But who knows, maybe tomorrow or next year we are going to have some big names from the available football academies and fans could struggle to even remember what the aforementioned legends have done.

Saturday Sports Magazine tracked down Djihadi Nzeyurwanda, one of the products of the Airtel Rising Stars competition.

The young goalkeeper, who features for newly promoted Isonga FC, is the first choice for the U17 national team.

Airtel Rising Stars competition is the brain behind the youngster’s rise.

He was selected by former national technical director Richard Tardy among four impressive young talents at the inaugural edition of the Airtel Rwanda-sponsored competition last year.

Who is Nzeyurwanda?

Nzeyurwanda was born in Muhoza sector, Musanze district, Northern Province on May 10, 1998 to Rashid Nzeyurwanda (RIP) and Clautilde Mukeshimana.

He is the second born and only boy from a family of three children. He lost his father in 2005 when he was barely 7 years old.

He attended Musanze-based EER primary school, went to Muhoza II for senior one and two before being taken up Isonga Academy in August last year. In January this year he joined APE Rugunga for senior three.

Nzeyurwanda is also a fan of the 14-time champions APR FC and Germany champions Bayern Munich on the international scene. He is also a big supporter of Amavubi Stars national team as well as the 2010 World Cup champions, Spain.

He was inspired to be a goalkeeper after watching former APR FC and Amavubi Stars Ramadhan Nkunzingoma on TV.  Currently he is inspired by Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer and Chelsea FC’s Petr Čech.

Childhood dream

The 16-year-old Nzeyurwanda was always into football as a child and was always keen on playing in the goal posts unlike kids of his age who prefer the attack role. He started playing in neighbourhood streets with peers using locally made village balls dubbed ‘Karere’.

"I never tried playing anywhere else but in the goal, even when I was still very young before joining school and in primary school days, I was always a goalkeeper. I also never tried any other sport apart from football, you can say I was born a goalie,” Nzeyurwanda told Saturday Sport.

Achievements

The dark-skinned and soft-spoken Nzeyurwanda won the Northern Province’s inter-schools championship title with EER primary school team in 2010.

He also won the inter-schools’ championship title for the Northern Province twice in 2012 and 2013 with his former ordinary level school team Muhoza II.

In 2013, with Musanze youth sports training center academy team, he also won Volcano youth football tourney title, a competition locally organised in Musanze district.

Nzeyurwanda also reached the final of the Copa Coca-Cola championship with Muhoza II school team in 2012 but lost to Lycée de Kigali, LDK.

At Isonga and U17 national team

Nzeyurwanda helped the youthful Isonga FC to return to the topflight division after just one season in the lower division. However, Isonga’s coach Yves Rwasamanzi was using him as a second choice goalie behind first choice Yves Kimenyi.

Nonetheless, being number two for Isonga didn’t stop the U17 team coach Richard Tardy to make Nzeyurwanda his first choice, although the team had been inactive until the recent 4-0 defeat at hands of their Ugandan counterparts in the first-leg match of Afcon 2015 qualifiers.

"One thing that makes me work harder everyday is my dream to play for the senior national team and represent my country in international competitions.

"Playing for my country is my biggest motivation and I believe I will make it to the senior team in a not so distant future. I know I still have a lot to learn since there are very good goalkeepers in Amavubi,” he noted.

Note of thanks

Asked to point out some of the people who have played a pivotal role in his budding career, Nzeyurwanda pointed out his former academy coaches at Musanze youth sports training center namely Chombe, Samsom Minuer and Emmanuel Nzabahimana.

He also with deep gratitude thanks his mother, who understands and supports him in his career. "She is the one who took me to the Musanze Football Academy in 2011,” he revealed.

And he could not end without thanking Airtel Rwanda for sponsoring the youth championship, (Airtel Rising Stars) for which he is one of the products.